Fatal Attraction
by Illyana Rasputin
Summary: Pietro is in love with Kitty, Kurt is in love with Kitty and kitty doesn't know who she's in love with. It's all out war for the hand of one of the most irresistable girls in Bayville, until Juggernaught escapes from prison...
1. A Confusing Crush

NOTE: Hello this is my first Fanfic ever (Woohoo) so please be kind, Lot's of reviews and advice would be helpful. Enjoy!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters (damn) and earn absolutely no money for writing these stories.  
  
Pietro Maximoff sat at one of the round tables in the Bayville High Cafeteria idly chewing on some pasta. A group of girls walked in through the big double doors and joined the line heading for the food.  
  
Pietro looked up Kitty Pryde was in that group. She was laughing and joking with her friends. Pietro's heart thumped against his chest, she was so pretty. He was the best-looking boy in the school; he could have any girl he wanted except her. Pietro wandered why he found the fact that she utterly despised him so attractive.  
  
"You gonna eat that?" asked Fred and before Pietro could answer, Fred grabbed the plate and began eating.  
  
"Sure you can have it," replied Pietro.  
  
"What's up man," Todd said in his annoying whiny voice "why you staring at Pryde"  
  
"I'm not staring at Pryde, why would I stare at Pryde, she's won of those goody goody X-men." Replied Pietro a bit too quickly. Todd raised an eyebrow,  
  
"Whatever you say man."  
  
Jubilee turned around, she had been watching Pietro. "Kitty I think Pietro was staring at you!"  
  
"Yeh right, he doesn't like me and I'd rather eat pigswill than go out with him," said Kitty.  
  
Rogue snorted into her plate of food, "Yeah why don't you go and talk to him."  
  
"Shut up, I'd never talk to him, I'd rather go out with Tolanski than him!" They all burst out laughing, when the laughter had subsided Bobby piped up: "I'm goin to the movies tonight anyone wanna come?"  
  
"I'll come," said Jubilee blushing slightly, she had a huge crush on Bobby. Rogue did a simpering imitation of Jubilee and Kitty hat to stifle a giggle.  
  
"Ahem" a cough sounded from behind them, Scot was standing there, Rogue went crimson and had to cover her face with a hand. Everyone stifled a laugh. "Jean has asked us to help with the streamers and Banners for her next soccer game, I trust you will all help out.  
  
"Sorry Scot" said Bobby grinning "I got a date with Jubes at the movies." Jubilee blushed again and the two of them got up and left.  
  
"Well I trust you and Kitty will help?" Asked Scott, Rogue seemed to have temporerily lost the power of speech but Kitty came to the rescue,  
  
"Hey isn't that Jean and Duncan over there?" she said pointing behind Scott. As he turned around to look Kitty and Rogue ran out of the cafeteria laughing, they had just dodged a boring weekend of helping jean with decorations.  
  
Pietro watched Kitty and Rogue run out of the cafeteria his heart thumped again. This was so unlike him. Lance came and sat down beside him,  
  
"What's up Maximoff ?" asked Lance.  
  
"Nothing" Replied Pietro, "Do you still like Pryde?" he asked.  
  
"No!" said Lance "and she don't like me neither" his face had turned grim. "Why, do you like her?"  
  
"No way" said Pietro with a false smile.  
  
"Good, she's not worth it. " Said Lance firmly.  
  
'Why did he like Kitty?' Thought Pietro. It was so confusing, he thought he'd skip chemistry and try to work out why he liked her. Everything was so confusing.  
  
(So what did you think? Reviews please) 


	2. Home Sweet Home

NOTE: I really liked writing this chapter please Review, remember More Reviews=More Chapters. Enjoy!  
  
Jean walked down the hall, it was about 6:00. Logan walked past her, stopped and sniffed the air. "What are you looking for Logan?" asked Jean.  
  
"I'm looking for cannonball, Rahne and Jamie it's time for their Danger- room session," he sniffed again and said "They went this way" he walked on down the hall. Jean followed him. Wolverine stopped and opened a door to his left.  
  
Jean opened a door further down the corridor. The plane sheets of paper that were to be decorated for soccer game were against the wall. A stifled laugh came from behind the sheets, Jean pulled the sheet aside, Cannonball was crouching behind it. "What are you doing here?" asked Jean.  
  
"Hiding from Logan, it's our danger room session. I'm in here, Jamie's in the room across the hall and Rahne's in the room further down the hall." Replied Cannonball grinning mischievously  
  
"Well were gonna here some fireworks because Logan just went in to Jamie's room." Commented Jean  
  
"Quick cover me up again!" Whispered cannonball.  
  
" I really should tell Logan you're here, you practise in the danger room to make you a better X-man."  
  
"My idea of becoming a better X-man doesn't involve having razor sharp disks and iron spikes hurled at me!" hissed Cannonball.  
  
"Humph" said Jean and she flung the sheet around him. As she was closing the door to the room opposite was flung open and a group of Jamie's ran out with Logan in pursuit grabbing as many as he could.  
  
"Come back her all of you!" Roared Logan. Jean let out a small sigh of satisfaction this really was home. She wondered off to find Scott. She needed to visit Duncan but didn't have a car. Hopefully Scott would drive her to his house, He had been acting weird almost jealous when she mentioned Duncan.  
  
Rogue sat on her bed flicking through an O.K magazine reading up on the latest celebraty gossip. The door handle turned, Rogue slid the magazine under her pillow and hastily grabbed her Metallica C.D she had to keep her image up. Jubilee walked in: "Hey Rogue what are you up to?"  
  
"Ah'm just deciding witch C.D I'm gonna listen to." replied Rogue. Jubilee began looking through her closet trying to pick out an outfit for her movie date with Bobby. 'Well' thought Jubilee 'it wasn't really a date but it was almost one.' If tonight went really well she would try to ask him out.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Asked Rogue who had been watching the vacant expression on Jubilee's face.  
  
"Oh nothing," said Jubilee " Do think Bobby's cute?" Jubilee said trying to look like she didn't really care.  
  
"He's alright if you like that blonde class-clown look," replied Rogue. Jubilee did like that blonde class-clown look.  
  
Fifteen minuites later after much running the comb through her hair and consulting with Rogue she had finally picked out a suitable outfit. Jubilee headed down stairs a few minuites early for her date. Bobby was already there looking hot in a shirt and jeans. He saw her and waved, "Hey Jubes you ready to go?" asked Bobby  
  
"Sure" Jubilee said, blushing slightly. The proffeser came out of the kitchen and said:  
  
"Ah Bobby, Jubilee what are you doing?"  
  
" I'm raking Jubes to the movies." Replied Bobby.  
  
" Be Back by 10:00 you have phones and know our number, be carefull and have a good time." Finished Proffeser X. The two of them walked down the path towards the gate,  
  
'Sheesh it's got to be illegal to be that good looking' thought Jubilee.  
  
' Man I never noticed how hot Jubilee is' thought Bobby.  
  
Kitty sat on the sofa in the T.V room leafing through the T.V guide. What wad it Jubilee had said at lunch: 'I think Pietro's staring at you' That couldn't be right thought Kitty this was Pietro-the Jerk-Maximoff she was thinking about. He didn't date anyone with an I.Q above 10 so he dated most of the cheerleaders. Why was she even thinking about it, this was Pietro a member of the Brotherhood one of the most obnoxious boys in the school. But he did have very blue eyes and sleek silver hair, "Snap out of it" she said and shook herself.  
  
"Snap out of what?" said a gruff voice behind her, she turned around it was Logan.  
  
" It's nothing" replied Kitty  
  
"Do you mind if I watch something?" asked Logan  
  
"No it's O.K" said Kitty.  
  
"You might want to go I'm watching Friday the 13th"  
  
"Isn't that a bit scary?" Said Kitty  
  
" They ain't made a horror film that can scare me yet and I doubt this one will." Kitty said goodnight and headed up to bed. She lay in bed for a while thinking, she hadn't had a boyfriend for quite a long time, it was about time she had another one. She began listing possible boys: there was Scot, too uptight, Ray too explosive, Cannonball, too over the top, Bobby, he had a million girls chasing him already, Pietro, he was- she shouldn't be thinking about that arrogant jerk, kitty told herself. There was Lance, she'd tried that, Duncan he was spoken for. Evan he was dangerouse you never knew when he was about to fire a spike at you and lastly Kurt he was funny and cool but she didn't feel anything for him. She was going to have to keep playing the field. Kitty went to sleep shortly after Jubilee slipped in at 10:10. The last thing she thought about was how she couldn't stop thinking about Pietro, he wasn't that good looking, was he?  
  
Thank you to all the lovely reviews especially to JDH3 and Aslyin I really appreciate them. 


	3. Pietro's Plan

NOTE: I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I would like some Review's. please, please, please Review. Enjoy!  
  
Pietro was home a minute or so after the bell rang, that was just one of the advantages of super speed, one of the disadvantages however was he often had too much time on his hands and often became bored. This was not the case now, he had to plan a way to win Kitty Pryde the one girl he couldn't have. If he could just find a way to get her to give him a chance he could turn the Maximoff charm up to full. He concentrated hard, about fifteen minutes later he heard Lance's jeep pull up and sure enough Lance tramped in.  
  
"Hey Lance, just out of interest how did you get Pryde to like you?" Asked Pietro.  
  
"Aside from my dashing good looks and boyish charm I didn't go round calling her Pryde for a year and insulting her." Replied Lance guessing Pietro's intent.  
  
"Hey I don't like her A friend likes her!" said Pietro sounding extremely unconvincing.  
  
"Yeh sure" said Lance knowingly, Pietro wandered of upstairs to his room, when he reached the landing Todd and Fred came in. Todd smelling awful as usual and Fred chewing manfully on a massive sandwich.  
  
Pietro closed the door to his room and sat on the end of his bed. The peeling blue wallpaper was smeared and covered in countless stains. Pietro listed his potions for winning Kitty over: He could grovel, he crossed that off immediately, a Maximoff had his pride. He could shower her with gifts, that sometimes worked with the girls he dated but Kitty was not like the girls he dated. He could be persistent and she might eventually give in. He could give up, that was crossed off immediately a Maximoff gets what a Maximoff wants. The middle two seemed the best options he would try the gift option first.  
  
With a plan of action he felt better. Pietro zoomed downstairs to look for something to eat he opened the fridge and gasped.  
  
Lance walked in and said: "What's the matter motor-mo-!!" he stopped in mid sentence when he saw the fridge.  
  
The Fridge was open and it was empty, there was not a scrap of food left in it. "That was full yesterday!" said Lance meekly. The two looked at each other and their eyes widened as what had happened dawned on them.  
  
"FRED!!" Pietro Zoomed into the T.V room with Lance in hot pursuit . Pietro grabbed the sandwich from Fred. "Hey" shouted Fred.  
  
"You stole our food!" Roared Lance  
  
"I was hungry." Retorted Fred.  
  
"The fridge was full." said Pietro incredulously.  
  
"I was really hungry, bow give me back that sandwich." Roared Fred and he took a swing at Pietro. Pietro easily ducked but the blow sent Lance spinning to the floor. Lance quickly stood up quickly stood up and took a swing at Fred, it merely bounced of his stomach Fred laughed. Pietro still holding the sandwich swung his foot into Fred's groin, Fred stopped laughing. Toad shot out his tongue and it rapped around Pietro's leg bringing him crashing to the floor.  
  
"That's enough!" shouted Lance and he slammed his foot on the ground, the earth shook everyone except lance fell over. "I have a date with Cindy tonight so I don't want any trouble. Pietro can do what he likes and Fred and Todd have to find a way to get some food if they wish to see another dawn."  
  
Pietro went to his room, Lance went out and Todd and Fred grumbled on the couch. Pietro had a plan, he would win Kitty, Kitty would be his yet.  
  
Lance stood by his jeep outside the Brotherhood house, he watched the curvy figure of one of Bayville high's resident bimbos walk down the road. He didn't really feel anything towards Cindy, but she wad wanted to go out and he hadn't said no.  
  
He only had feelings for one girl right now and she lived at the Institute. It wasn't Kitty they had got'n over each other months ago. It was Rogue, he found her brown hair with a white streak irresistible. The way she tried to keep everyone at arms-length, her sarcastic manner and her distance from everyone else attracted Lance.  
  
"Lancey what are you staring at?" asked Cindy in her annoying singsong voice.  
  
"Nothing" replied Lance. They both got into the jeep and Lance started backing out of the drive- way.  
  
"Where are we going?" asked Cindy.  
  
"To the movies." Replied lance  
  
"How are Peter Tom and Fred?" cooed Cindy.  
  
"That's Pietro Todd and Fred and there fine." Said Lance looking exasperated. As they drove towards the cinema Lance wasn't thinking about the gorgeous blonde next to him. All Lance could think about was the good looking brunette at the institute.  
  
(I'd really like some advice on the Lance Rogue situation any help will be greatly appreciated.) 


	4. Kurt's Crush

NOTE: This is a chapter for all you Kurt fans. Your reviews are my inspiration for writing. Please keep reviewing.  
  
Kurt wondered down the hall heading in the general direction of the boy's dormitories. Kurt stopped he could hear Kitty saying good night to someone in the T.V room. He darted into a little alcove praying that Kitty wouldn't see him. Kurt had a huge crush on her, he had ever since he had come to the mansion. The problem was whenever he began to talk to her he became tongue tide or forgot what he was going to say. He could hear her coming down the hall, she was going to see him. She was about to walk past him when he teleported.  
  
Bobby was sitting on his bed chatting to Cannonball and Ray about the pro's and cons of baseball. Cannonball was very tired he was still recovering from Logan's danger room session. Logan had found him Rahne and Jamie and had given them a particularly hard training session. There was a loud 'BAMF' sound above Bobby's head and Kurt landed on him.  
  
"Man Kurt could you give me some warning next time!" said Bobby as he picked himself up off the floor.  
  
"Sorry Bobby" replied Kurt, he got off Bobby's bed and flopped on to his own. ( When the new recruits arrived there hadn't been enough bedroom's for everyone to have there own so Bobby, Cannonball and Kurt shared a room.) He sighed despondently and thought: 'why don't I just tell her how I feel' but then he remembered that he thought that every night and every night he would say 'I'll tell her in the morning'. He thought that if he told her she would probably say 'I can only see us as friends and then they'd start avoiding each other and their friendship would be ruined.  
  
"What's up Kurt?" asked Cannonball who had been watching Kurt stare at the ceiling. "I never thought the ceiling was that interesting" he finished grinning.  
  
"Nothing, I'm fine," replied Kurt.  
  
"Don't make us force it out of you." Said Bobby in a mock fierce voice, " Where willing to use force."  
  
"Oh come of it guys" said Kurt in protest.  
  
" I'll give you to the count of three" said Bobby firmly, "1...2...3!" on the count of three Cannon ball flung himself towards Kurt at an impressive speed. Bobby hurled a pillow at him. Kurt saw both these attacks coming and teleported behind them. Ray had thought Kurt would do this and was waiting. When Kurt appeared Ray grabbed him.  
  
"All right Kurt, spill it," said Bobby. Kurt could have teleported again but he might as well tell them, they might be able to help.  
  
"Okay" said Kurt, " I've got the hots for someone."  
  
"Who?" asked Bobby.  
  
"Is she from school?" asked Cannonball.  
  
"No," relied Kurt.  
  
"Is it Tabetha from the Brotherhood?" asked Ray.  
  
"No!" Shouted Kurt "Shut up and I'll tell you." He paused and then said: "It's Kitty"  
  
"Wow" Said the other three in unison.  
  
"Yeh" said Kurt "the problem is I can't get the nerve to tell her and even if I did she'd probably Just laugh." Finished Kurt.  
  
"Hey Kitty wouldn't laugh and I'm sure she'll want to go out with you." Said Bobby with a mischievous grin.  
  
"How come?" asked Kurt.  
  
" Because you'll be so charming that she'll just melt." He said.  
  
"And how am I gonna become charming, I mean I've got blue skin?" asked Kurt.  
  
" Because us three are gonna help you." Said Bobby, "Right guys"  
  
"Right" said the other two  
  
"Thanks guy's, maybe I do have a chance." Said Kurt they heard Storm putting the girl's lights out next door and the sound of Logan's heavy footfalls drawing nearer.  
  
"Oh no, I'm supposed to be in my room, Logan's gonna Kill me." Said Ray.  
  
" Quick under the bed" said Bobby, Ray dived under Bobby's bed as the other three Climbed into their beds. Logan appeared at the doorway.  
  
"It's 10:00 lights out," he switched the lights out. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he sniffed the air. "Is someone else in hear?" he asked  
  
"No not a soul." They replied.  
  
"Fine" he said. "Night kids" and Logan walked off.  
  
"Come on!" said Kurt and he teleported Ray to his room.  
  
(I'd really like you all to tell me whether Lance and Rogue should get together.) 


	5. Wanna Go Out

NOTE: This was a really had Chapter to write so please review. Hope you like it.  
  
Jubilee wandered down the corridor, she was wearing her favourite yellow jacket as usual. She was on her way to her physics class. The 'date' with Bobby at the movies had been a huge success, they had watched the movie, Bobby making jokes about the implausibility of the film and Jubilee watching Bobby. They had gone to a coffee bar and had a snack. The two of them had chatted for a while and then they had walked back to the institute.  
  
That night Jubilee hadn't been able to get to sleep. She had been too excited about how well the evening had gone. She had lane awake for hours thinking about what a success the evening had been and how much fun they had, had. Jubilee had also been thinking about how she would ask Bobby if he wanted to go on a proper date. She had decided to just tell him she was in love with him and had been for years. It was a win or lose situation if he said he would love to go out with her it would be great and they would both be happy. If he said he didn't want to they would both be devastated.  
  
Jubilee was about to turn the corner into the physics block when she heard Nicky another girl she knew liked Bobby:  
  
"Oh Bobby your so funny!" Jubilee peered round the corner, Bobby was talking to Nicky outside the Physics room. Nicky began to speak again, "I was wondering would you like to go out on Saturday night?"  
  
Jubilee waited with baited breath, Bobby must to refuse, he had to there was no way he was going to say yes.  
  
"Alright." Said Bobby.  
  
"Jubilee felt like she had been stabbed in the heart Bobby her best friend, Bobby who she had always relied on to be there for her and who she thought she'd had a chance with had just agreed to go out with that witch Nicky. Jubilee felt tears well up in her eyes and began to walk away. When she was further down the hall she broke into a run, tears streaming freely down her face.  
  
Jean saw her coming and said: "Jubilee what's wr-" Jubilee ran past her. She didn't want to talk to anyone she just wanted to be left alone so she could cry her eyes out in the girls bathroom and never see Bobby ever again.  
  
Bobby was waiting for Jubilee outside physics. He had, had a great time last night, going to the movies with Jubilee they had, had more fun than he could remember. She had looked at him a little strangely that night, was she interested in him. He was sure of one thing he was falling for her.  
  
Nicky walked up to him, she was wearing a T-shirt through which her bra was clearly visible a denim skirt and trainers. She had long dark hair a curvy figure and a nice face. Most of the boys in his year thought she was extremely attractive, Cannonball included. Bobby found her a bit to air- headed but she was attracted to him. She was always conveniently bumping into him in the corridors and bending over right in front of him to tie her shoelace. This time however she just walked up to him and said:  
  
"Do you want to go out with me on Saturday night?"  
  
Bobby's mind went into overdrive, he had to find an excuse, a way to get out of it. His mind raced for a plausible explanation as to why he couldn't go out with her but he couldn't think of one. Bobby began to stutter, he didn't want to go out with her on Saturday night if he wanted to go out with anyone it was Jubilee. He could not find an excuse he had to admit defeat. One night wouldn't be too bad.  
  
"Alright" he said.  
  
She pushed herself close to him, "maybe we could get to know each other better." She said pressing against him.  
  
"NO!" he said a bit to loudly. "I mean I'm fine" he stammered and walked off to find Cannonball and Ray as quickly as he could without running. Saturday night was going to be a long hard night he thought grimly. 


	6. Crash and Burn

NOTE: Sorry I took so long to write this chapter, I'm on Holiday in Guernsey. This Chapter was really hard and took ages to write. Please Review, more Reviews = more chapters. I'm really enjoying this writing this story I hope you like reading it.  
  
Pietro waited in the hallway by his locker. He had already planted Kitty's locker with roses two cards and three large white Teddy bears. That ought to soften her if she rejected him, which he told himself was not a possibility. Pietro was eagerly scanning the crowd for a dark brown ponytail. There was a large group of people coming towards him growing smaller as people went to their individual lockers. Kitty was in that group, she had just began walking to her locker. Pietro zoomed in front of her, he didn't want her to find the gifts before he talked to her.  
  
"Hey Pryde," said Pietro, he winced, he should have called her Kitty.  
  
"Are you talking to me?" asked Kitty raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't see any other people called-" Pietro stopped himself, he had to be polite. "I mean yes I am."  
  
"Your talking to me?" she said again incredulously.  
  
"I supposed your honoured aren't you?" said Pietro smirking.  
  
Kitty flushed, "No I'm not. Now what do you want?"  
  
"I was wandering if you would like to go on a date with me!" he said as though this was a great honour. Kitty stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"Is this some kind of sick joke you and your retarded friends are pulling on me?"  
  
"No I'm serious." Said Peitro  
  
"Your serious," repeated Kitty raising her eyebrows. Pietro nodded , his throut was oddly dry, that was weird he had never been nervous about asking someone out before. Kitty began laughing, in a few seconds she was in hysterics.  
  
"Shut up!" hissed Pietro, people were starting to stare at them.  
  
"Sorry, but you crack me up, that was funny."  
  
"What was a funny one?"  
  
"You asking me out. I mean I've heard some good jokes but that was funny!" said Kitty and she walked to her locker and opened it. Four roses, two cards and two giant teddy bears fell out. Kitty picked them up and looked at them, they were all sent by Pietro. She stuffed them back in her locker and began getting out her books. Someone tapped her on the shoulder, she turned around, it was Pietro.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you want to go out with me?" he asked again.  
  
"Let me get this straight. You want me to go out with you. You Pietro Maximoff who have insulted me, teased me and made fun of me ever since I got hear." Finished Kitty.  
  
"Well yeh." Said Pietro meekly.  
  
"Hmm let me think about it." Said Kitty "NO.NO and again NO! A few gifts aren't going to make me want to go out with you." She slammed her locker door and walked off. The nerve of certain silver hared people. She headed towards chemistry. She still couldn't believe that Pietro had had the nerve to ask her out. It was probably just a joke but he had seemed serious and It would be nice to go on a date, just not with him.  
  
She sat down in Chemistry in Chemistry , Their teacher Miss Perkins who had taken over since Hank left was going on about acids and alkalis. Kitty who was normally an attentive student found her mind wondering. Had Pietro's offer of going out been serious or just some Prank? She knew she shouldn't be thinking about him but he was quite good looking what with silver hair a well muscled body and a charming smile. Kitty found herself drifting off into a daydream. If Pietro wasn't such an arrogant Jerk she might go out with him.  
  
"Miss Pryde will you please Concentrate!" said Miss Perkins in an exasperated voice she had lost the interest of over half the class and was straining to keep the others listening.  
  
"Er yes Miss Perkins." Muttered Kitty. She suddenly noticed that Pietro was in the class. He was doodling on his note pad looking unacceptably handsome. She blushed and looked away. Kitty began taking notes.  
  
Pietro was sitting at the back of the chemistry class. He looked around Kitty was sitting on the front row, his heart thumped against his chest. He almost felt like telling it to stop. Why did he have to fall for her! It was soooo infuriating. Pietro looked down and realised he had been doodling things like I heart Kitty for the last minute. He screwed the paper up into a ball if anyone found out about his crush his reputation would be ruined. Pietro would win her he wasn't beaten yet. Sure he had given a whole knew meaning to the phrase crash and burn but he had a plan.  
  
(good or bad, please review) 


	7. Lance's Move

NOTE: This is quite a short Chapter. It's a Lance and Rogue chapter. Hope you like it. Please Review.  
  
Lance walked out of history class feeling exceptionally bored. Mr Felling had given them mountain loads of homework, he hadn't written it down and he would get put in detention but he wouldn't show up and he'd get another one and he wouldn't show up to that either.  
  
Lance sauntered down the corridor towards English, he had Geography next but he was still going to English, Rogue was going to English too. Someone tapped him on the shoulder, he turned around It was Charlotte another girl who fancied him.  
  
"Isn't that Brad Pit?" Said Lance, looking over her shoulder.  
  
"Where?" Said Charlotte whirling around and scanning the crowd.  
  
Lance quickly ran round the corner, 'phew' thought Lance another mindless conversation with one of the school bimbos narrowly avoided. As he rounded the corner he saw Rogue chatting to Scott Summers. She was blushing, 'so' thought Lance 'she likes Summers' another reason to hate his guts. Lance leaned against the wall waiting for Scott to leave. Rogue turned to go to the bathroom, Lance moved to intercept her.  
  
"Hey Rogue can I talk to you for a second" Lance took hold of her arm and steered her outside. They went behind the English block and Lance let go of her  
  
"What is it Lance and make it quick, I have class?" Asked Rogue with an exasperated look.  
  
" I was wondering.If you'd like to go out with me on Saturday to the Soccer game?" Lance finished, flashing a charming smile at her.  
  
"Is this a joke" Asked Rogue starting to get angry.  
  
"What n-"  
  
"Are you making fun of me?" said Rogue "Do you find it funny that I can't touch anyone, do you find it amusing that I will never be able to kiss anyone!"  
  
"No I understand what your going through." Said Lance  
  
"Just Back of creep!" Snapped Rogue.  
  
"N-"  
  
Rogue grabbed his shirt and swung him into the wall. Lance crashed into the wall and fell to the floor. Lance was winded and he could taste blood in his mouth but he reckoned he'd be all right. Rogue planted her foot on his chest and walked over him.  
  
"You think that's funny, jerk?" shouted Rogue over her shoulder. Lance picked himself up and wiped the blood of his face. He watched Rogue walk away. She was putting up a fight and he didn't blame her it had to be hard living with such a disabling power. He was going to go out with her in the end but he was going to have to soften her up. She was very highly strung and tense, he ha too find a way to make her relax!  
  
"Man this aint gonna be easy." Said Lance.  
  
Lance took out a can of spray paint and began writing in huge letters on the wall LOOSEN UP!!!!!.  
  
Rogue sat down in English and sighed, it would be nice to have a relationship but she knew it would never work. Why did everyone have to be such Jerks thought Rogue. Lance was such a Jerk asking her out just so he could make fun of her mutation.  
  
"What's up Rogue?" whispered Kitty.  
  
"Lance just asked me out!" replied Rogue. "You said no right?" said Kitty looking concerned. "I just got asked out by Pietro a couple of hours ago!"  
  
"What did you say?" asked Rogue.  
  
"No of course." Hissed Kitty.  
  
" I got asked out by Lance, you got asked out by Pietro in the same day." Said Rogue, "They are definitely up to something."  
  
"Yeh"  
  
"Ladies will you please Listen" said Mr Higgins.  
  
An hour later Rogue and Kitty were walking to the mansion thinking about what Pietro and Lance were up to.  
  
Pietro was speeding towards the brotherhood house thinking of a plan to win Kitty.  
  
Lance was driving towards the brotherhood house thinking up ways for Rogue to relax.  
  
It was going to be a fun week!  
  
(What do you think?) 


	8. Mission Impossible

Sorry for the huge delay, but there have been a million other things going on and I've only just managed to get this chapter finished. Hopefully the updates will be much more frequent from now on.  
  
You might be wondering about the change of pen name. Well, unfortunately Colossus is no longer writing this fan fiction and I have assumed his position. I am Colossus' sister Illyana, and I hope you enjoy the story from here on as much as you enjoyed chapters one through seven. I will try and remain faithful to the writing style and chapter plan of Colossus, but if it isn't quite as good as chapters one to seven, then that's why. And without further ado, here's chapter eight, Mission Impossible:  
  
Pietro zipped into the Brotherhood house and up to his room, stopping only to grab a sandwich from the now re-stocked fridge. Once he got into his room he flopped onto his bed, anger coursing through his veins. How could Pryde have refused him? He was Pietro Maximoff, the most attractive guy at Bayville. No girl could resist him. Well, except for Kitty Pryde apparently  
  
But soon the anger faded. Truth be told, he preferred girls who didn't just say yes when he asked them out first time. He enjoyed a challenge and Pryde was going to be the hardest girl of them all to win over. He would do it eventually, of the he was certain, but it would take some time. He got off the bed and went to the bag of presents he had bought for Kitty. Cards, hearts, teddy bears, roses and chocolates, every romantic gift he could think of was there. Any other girl would have said yes by now, but that's what made Kitty so special; she wasn't like any other girl.  
  
He emptied the gifts onto his bed. Already a new plan was forming in his over-active brain. He would send most of the gifts to the Institute, and leave the rest in Kitty's locker. But that wouldn't be enough. He needed something big, something that showed he really cared. And he was having the first inklings of what that might be.  
  
Lance pulled up outside the Brotherhood house about fifteen minutes after Pietro. Todd and Fred leapt out of the jeep and went inside, leaving Lance alone, deep in thought. He was remembering earlier that day, when he had finally asked Rogue to go out with him. He grinned ruefully and touched the bruise on his lip. Truth be told, it had gone better than Lance had expected.  
  
'Still, it could have gone better,' he thought as he walked into the house. Todd had found out about it somehow and he'd been annoying him all day, constantly saying things like 'hey Lance watch out, there's a girl coming this way' and had earned him a withering glare from Rogue when Todd said 'watch out, here comes Rogue again' right when she had been walking past them. If he made one more quip Lance was seriously considering painfully breaking something over his head.  
  
Just like Pietro, Lance hadn't really ever had any trouble with girls, so he was slightly baffled by Rogue. He'd never felt this way about anyone before and the one person he did despised him. But he knew he be able to figure something out.  
  
Kitty flopped down on her bed, her mind reeling. He was confused. On the one hand she could barely stand Pietro and would like nothing more than to repeatedly pound his face into the wall. Feel the touch of his smooth skin against hers. she shook her head. She couldn't understand why she liked Pietro. He had all the qualities of a complete jerk. And yet. there was something so endearing about his cock smile and he was very attractive physically, if not mentally.  
  
She turned over and buried her head under her pillows as her roommate Rogue entered the room. Unlike Kitty, Rogue had no conflicting emotions. Her blood boiled at the thought of Lance's actions earlier that day. She had thought Lance was an okay guy, back when she had been part of the Brotherhood, but today had shown his true nature. Only someone as heartless as Lance could have done something like that to her. She slumped down bed as Kitty turned to look at her.  
  
"You okay?" Kitty asked when she saw Rogue's thunderous expression.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said grudgingly. "You?"  
  
"Yeah." Rogue thought she heard Kitty pause slightly before answering and she was sure she saw Kitty look slightly shifty as she answered, but she didn't press the point. "So, you got any idea what those jerks from the Brotherhood were trying to do?"  
  
Rogue felt her anger rising again as she thought about Lance. "No. Doubtless we'll find out tomorrow though."  
  
Rogue's prediction proved to be false as the next day nothing happened. Pietro and Lance stayed away from Kitty and Rogue and there was none of the usual gifts in Kitty's locker. Rogue was glad that Lance left her alone, although she would have liked Lance to come near her so she could beat him up again.  
  
Kitty was happy, but a part of her had to admit she kind of missed Pietro's constant gifts. When she got home however, she wasn't so sure.  
  
She had had a very tiring day, so she went straight up to her room. But apparently Rogue had beaten her there, because as she headed to her room she heard Rogue's voice echo through the hall. "What the hell is this?"  
  
Kitty sped up her pace and was joined at her door by Logan. Rogue was standing in the middle of the room, speechless. Kitty could understand why. The room was overflowing with all manner of gifts. Large stuffed hearts, stuffed bears, boxes of chocolate in the shape of hearts, dozens of bouquets of roses, cards shaped like hearts, and even those little pieces of candy with quotes like 'I luv you!' on them. As Kitty stood stunned, she heard Logan chuckling behind her. "It's not funny you know!" she said, whirling on him.  
  
Logan grinned at her. "Hey, I spent all day carrying this stuff up here, there was no way I was going to miss seeing your face."  
  
"Whose it from?" Rogue appeared to have got the power of speech back.  
  
"Let me guess," Kitty said. "Pietro?"  
  
Logan shrugged. "They were unnamed. Just addressed to you." He turned and left the two girls with the room of presents. It took them almost half an hour to clear the presents away, Kitty ended up jamming them in a bag in the wardrobe. She went to sleep that night, dreaming of her revenge on Pietro.  
  
The next morning Kitty was late for school, so she didn't see all the people pointing at her and whispering. She didn't have time to go to her locker, so she rushed straight to her first class. Again she missed the whispers and stifled giggles that were directed at her as she desperately tried to follow the lesson. As she was leaving one of her classmates came up to her. "Hey Kitty, who's your 'one true love'?" the girl had a slightly mocking tone  
  
"What?"  
  
"Haven't you seen it?" the girl grinned.  
  
"Seen what?" Kitty was perplexed.  
  
"Follow me." The girl grabbed Kitty by the wrist and led her to Kitty's locker, where a small crowd had formed. The girl pushed her way through the crowd and Kitty saw what they were all staring at. A banner had been pinned up above her locker. In each corner of the banner were hearts and on the banner was a poem, which said:  
  
My love is like to ice, and I to fire: How come it then that this her cold is so great Is not dissolved through my so hot desire, But harder grows the more I her entreat? Or how comes it that my exceeding heat Is not allayed by her heart-frozen cold, But that I burn much more in boiling sweat, And feel my flames augmented manifold? What more miraculous thing may be told, That fire, which is congealed with senseless cold, Should kindle fire by wonderful device? Such is the power of love in gentle mind, That it can alter all the course of kind.  
  
Kitty, will you go out with me? Your one true love.  
  
Kitty was stunned. She knew exactly who had put that there, but unfortunately he was nowhere in sight, because Kitty would have liked to dismember a certain silver haired speedster if he had been in arm's reach. How dare he call himself her 'one true love'. She threw her locker door open, trying to ignore the crowd of people behind her. 'Pietro Maximoff when I get my hands on you, you are going to wish you had never been born!'  
  
Please keep them reviews coming! 


	9. Pietro's Choice, Kitty's Choice Part 1

Sorry for the delay again. It's been a busy week, and I've just managed to finish this new chapter. Hopefully I'll be able to shorten the time between this update and the next one, but no promises. Anywho, thanks for all the kind reviews, and I hope you enjoy chapter 9, part 1.  
  
Pietro lounged against the wall of a building two blocks away from the Xavier Institute. He hadn't been to school today, except for this morning when he stuck the banner above Kitty's locker. He grinned as he remembered it. That must melt the last of Kitty's resistance. He couldn't wait till she came round that corner and saw him. He knew that their eyes would meet and bam! True love at first sight. Well, not quite first sight but it was near enough.  
  
Some of Kitty's anger had drained off during the day. She was still mad that Pietro had had the audacity to publicly announce that he was her 'one true love' and had had to endure a day of people asking her who her true love was. Although she would have loved to publicly humiliate Pietro, part of her had stopped her naming him. That was the part of her that was not angry. The part of her that was deeply touched that Pietro had gone to such lengths, potentially humiliated himself if she had revealed him as the 'true love'. And these two parts were waging a war for control of her feelings, thus leaving her very confused.  
  
She had left school as soon as the bell had rung, not even waiting for Scott to give her a ride home in his car. She had half considered going to the Brotherhood house to see Pietro, but until she could sort her feelings out, she had just decided to go back to the Institute. As she walked along the streets she was shocked to see Pietro leaning against the wall of a house a couple of dozen metres ahead of her. As she saw him she froze, her heart thudding in her chest. Suddenly her thoughts, which had seemed hectic half an hour ago, became a whirling maelstrom inside her head.  
  
Pietro saw Kitty walking towards him and then freeze as she saw him. He stood up and zipped to her side, unable to keep the tiniest smirk off his face. He expected Kitty to turn to him and profess her feelings of love and then he would take her out somewhere and that would be the start of a beautiful relationship. What he did not expect however was to get all the breath knocked out of him by a punch to the gut. He dropped to his knees and looked up at Kitty, a perplexed expression on his face. "Why did you do that?" he wheezed.  
  
"Why? Because you had no right to do what you did!" Kitty raged. "You had no right to publicly announce that you are my 'one true love'! You are a complete jerk, and you expect that one poem will get me to go out with you?" Kitty laughed mirthlessly. "You have got to be kidding me!"  
  
She walked on past Pietro, leaving him for once, speechless. "But, but Kitty!" he called after her. "It's true. What I said, I do love you!"  
  
Kitty stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around, shaking her head. "If you think that telling me all this is going to make up for a year of being an absolute jerk, you are dead wrong! I'm not going to fall for your 'Oh Kitty, I love you' spiel because in six months I'd be just another girlfriend that you've dumped. No matter what you do Pietro, I'm not going out with you!" She turned and ran off, leaving Pietro on his knees, looking stunned.  
  
Lance was already home when Pietro trudged in, looking decidedly different from his usual cocky, confident self. He seemed very dejected and didn't speak to Lance as he passed him in the corridor. "Hey, Maximoff. What's wrong?"  
  
Pietro turned to face Lance. "Oh, it's, it's. nothing." He said after a long pause and then turned and zipped up the stairs to his room. Lance shrugged and went into the kitchen. He stopped short when he entered the kitchen, staring at the figure within. Lounging in one of the chairs, boots resting on the table, trench coat hanging over his shoulder, was Remy LeBeau.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lance asked dangerously. The last time they had met they hadn't hit it off well and Lance still nursed a strong dislike for the Cajun.  
  
Remy grinned and stood up. "I heard you were annoying chère."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Rogue. I heard you were hanging around Rogue, annoying her." Remy moved so that he was standing right in front of Lance. He moved his face to within inches of Lance's face. "Leave Rogue alone, got that? She's my chère."  
  
"Oh yeah. And what will you do if I don't?"  
  
"You want another beating, boy?"  
  
"I'd like to see you try!"  
  
The two stared each other down for several seconds before Remy turned away. He put his trench coat on, then walked past Lance. "Just leave her alone, you got that."  
  
Lance waited until he heard the door slam and then picked up a chair and hurled it against the wall. He hated Remy so much. Coming in here to tell him what he could and couldn't do. Well, he'd show the arrogant Cajun.  
  
As Lance picked the chair up he could have sworn that he heard a slight gust of wind rush past the kitchen door. But when he went out into the hall, the front door was shut. Shrugging, he turned and went back into the kitchen.  
  
Kitty was lying on her bed when she heard a knock on her door. She got up and absently mindedly phased through the wall into the corridor. She frowned as she looked up and down the corridor. It was empty. Probably Kurt playing another one of his tricks. She went back inside and was about to flop back down onto the bed when she noticed something lying on it. She picked it up. It was an envelope addressed to her. She looked around, wondering how it could have got there. It definitely wasn't Kurt's writing, although it did look rather familiar.  
  
She opened and a single piece of paper fell out. Written on it was a short note. 'Dear Kitty. I've been considering what you have told me, and I just want you to know, I won't be bothering you anymore. I've decided to leave you alone forever. I wish you could understand how much I love you, but you're right, I have been an utter jerk, so I suppose it's understandable that you hate me. I just ask that when I'm gone, you will find it in your heart to forgive me. With love, Pietro.'  
  
Kitty stared at the note, icy tendrils of horror clutching at her heart. She couldn't believe what she was reading. Her mind, which had been a whirling maelstrom earlier, was crystal clear know. She hastily pushed the note into her pocket and ran through the door into the hall. She only hoped she wasn't too late.  
  
Pietro let out another sorrowful sigh. He had been here for over half an hour, and he still hadn't had the courage to do it. Part of him had been hoping, and indeed still hoped, that Kitty would arrive, would say that she loved him. But she obviously didn't. He sighed again and stood up. He walked out onto the small, rusty balcony that was just outside his window. He glanced one last time at the stars and how they reflected on the blade of his knife. Everything was ready. He had left Lance and Wonda a note explaining his choice to them. His door was locked so that no one could get in and stop him. Sparing one last look for any sign of Kitty rushing towards the house he raised his knife.  
  
Kitty sprinted along the sidewalk, badly out of breath, with a stitch in her side. She glanced at her watch. It had taken her about half an hour to get to the road that led to the Brotherhood house. Not good. She paused to draw in several long gulps of air, before running down the path as fast as possible.  
  
Pietro marvelled at how red the blood was, and how beautifully it reflected on the knife's blade. In the back of his mind he could vaguely hear someone running, but he found he couldn't concentrate on it. Oh well, in a few minutes nothing would matter, anyway. 


	10. Pietro's Choice, Kitty's Choice Part 2

Thank you for all the very nice reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy the fic as much as you have already. And don't forget to leave a review on your way out. Without further ado, ladies, gentlemen and mutants, I present chapter 10.  
  
Lance was astonished to open the front door and see Kitty standing there, out of breath. "Quick," she wheezed, trying to gulp in air, "Pietro. haven't got much time."  
  
Lance nodded and ran up the stairs. He didn't quite understand what Kitty was saying, but she seemed very serious. 'It would have been an extremely elaborate practical joke', Lance thought wryly as he stopped outside Pietro's room. He tried the door, found it locked, and then ran across the hall. He banged on Fred and Todd's doors and shouted "Pietro's in trouble. NOW!" Fred was out of his room as quickly as was humanly possible for him, followed quickly by Todd.  
  
"What's wrong with my brother?" Lance turned to see Wonda standing in her doorway. He was taken aback. He hadn't known Wonda cared that much about Pietro.  
  
"I don't know, but Kitty's downstairs and she said something about Pietro and there not being much time, and his door's locked." As he said this Fred moved to the door, tried the handle for himself and on finding it locked took two paces back and charged into the door, shoulder-first. The door shook on its hinges, and after another shoulder barge from Fred, Lance was able to force his way through.  
  
The first thing he noticed was that the balcony doors were open, which was strange, because Pietro hated the balcony and never used it. The second thing he noticed was Pietro lying slumped on the balcony rail. Behind him he heard the others force their way in. Lance advanced on Pietro slowly, unsure of what he would find. As he got closer he noticed that Pietro's clothes were stained dark red with blood. Pietro's blood. "Oh god!" he felt bile rise into the back of his throat as he caught sight of Pietro's front.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
It took Lance a few seconds to answer. "He's, he's committed suicide."  
  
"What!" Kitty ran to his side and put her hand straight on his neck.  
  
"Well?" Todd asked.  
  
When she didn't answer for several seconds Lance heard Todd let out a strangled sob, and felt himself almost break down.  
  
"Wait! There's still a pulse. But a very faint one." Kitty announced suddenly.  
  
"We've got to get him to a hospital." Lance turned to go to the phone.  
  
"No."  
  
Lance looked at Kitty incredulously. "No?"  
  
"The Institute has better medical facilities than any hospital. We need to take him there."  
  
"Okay," Lance fished his keys out of his pocket. "I'll drive."  
  
Scott was lounging in the foyer, reading his chemistry notes when he heard an engine outside. Surprised, he opened the door and was almost knocked over as Lance rushed in, followed by Fred, Todd and Wonda. Scott put a hand to his glasses when Kitty ran in following them. Seeing him, she paused for a second. "It's all right, Scott, they're with me." Then she ran off after them, leaving Scott lying in a heap by the door, very confused.  
  
Kitty caught up with the Brotherhood as they stopped, unsure which way to go. "This way," she said, sprinting down the hallway to Professor Xavier's office. As she threw open the door the Professor was already wheeling forwards. "Professor."  
  
"Yes, Kitty, I know. I could sense your thoughts ever since you entered the Institute. We've got to take him to the med-lab. Come on." Xavier wheeled down the corridor followed by Kitty and the Brotherhood. It took them barely two minutes to run to the med-lab, where Logan and Hank, who Xavier had mentally summoned, met them. Hank took Pietro from Fred's arms and he and Xavier hurried into the med-lab. Lance tried to get follow them but Logan blocked the door.  
  
"Sorry bub, only Chuck and Hank are allowed in."  
  
"But what about Lance?"  
  
"Chuck will come and get you when he's examined him. Now get lost. Kitty, find them rooms to stay the night, will ya."  
  
Kitty nodded, but she was barely listening. As she turned and led the Brotherhood upstairs, getting several strange looks from the other X-Men, she was thinking about Pietro. Thinking about how he had been willing to commit suicide when he heard that she didn't love him. And thinking about her feelings when she had found Pietro's suicide note. It had been as though someone had hit her in the stomach with an iron bar. And there was no guarantee that Pietro would pull through anyway.  
  
Rogue looked up from her book as Kitty and the Brotherhood walked past. As Lance glanced at her, she gave him a hatred filled glare that made him look away immediately. She wondered why they were here, and prayed that this wouldn't mean she would be subjected to Lance's constant attentions.  
  
As soon as the Brotherhood had passed she got up and went out into the grounds. She needed to get some air to clear her head. As she walked across the lawn she heard a noise of someone moving behind her. She whirled around to come face-to-face with Remy LeBeau.  
  
She dropped into an automatic defensive position, watching him warily. The Cajun merely grinned at her and took a step towards her. "What do you want?" she said icily. "Nuthin' chère, I just came here to check that you were alright."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I heard that that Lance loser was insulting you yesterday."  
  
"Maybe he was, so what?"  
  
"Hey, I gotta protect my chère."  
  
"What?" Rogue spluttered angrily, not believing what she was hearing.  
  
"You're my chère. If I don't protect you, who will?"  
  
"You think I need protecting?" Rogue laughed mirthlessly. "Listen, Remy. If you come around here interfering in my life ever again, then you're the one that's going to need protection, got that?" With that she turned on her heel angrily and stormed back inside, leaving Remy smirking.  
  
"She needs me bad," he whispered to himself before vanishing into the darkness.  
  
Meanwhile Kitty had her head buried in her pillows. She had assigned the Brotherhood to rooms and then spent the last half an hour in her room. She hated all the turmoil in her life. It had been way simpler before she knew Pietro liked her. Why did it have to be him? Why? Why? Why?  
  
There was a tentative knock at the door and a second later Wonda came in. "The Professor wants you." She simply said and then turned and left. Kitty got up and headed down to the med-lab. There she met Xavier and Logan outside the door to the lab.  
  
"Well? How is he?"  
  
"He's. alive," the Professor said after a pause, "but barely. It will take all our skill and equipment if he is to pull through."  
  
Kitty felt a huge weight lift from her shoulders. It would have been unbearable if Pietro died because of her.  
  
"You can go in and monitor his progress through the waiting room, but you can't go into the operating theatre yet. We've still got a lot of work to do tonight if he's going to make it through the night." Xavier turned around and wheeled back into the med-lab.  
  
"So what have you got to do with speedy in there?" Logan asked curiously.  
  
"Uh," Kitty hesitated, not wanting to tell him the truth quite yet. "I was passing the Brotherhood house and Lance came running out and asked me to help him because they'd found Pietro had tried to commit suicide."  
  
Logan nodded, but Kitty got the feeling that he didn't quite believe her story. He moved out of the way to let her enter, then resumed his vigil at the door.  
  
Kitty walked into the waiting room, which had a large window that allowed people to see what was happening in the operating theatre. In the theatre, Pietro lay on a metal bed with Hank and Professor Xavier attending to him. As she gazed at Pietro's handsome face, so peaceful as he lay motionless, she was filled with a sense of calmness and a sense of what she should do. She knew that Pietro was the one she was destined to be with, how could he not be after he had gone to such extreme lengths. Now all that mattered was that he survived so that she could tell him.  
  
Meanwhile, many hundreds of miles away seven figures looked down on one solitary figure that stood alone in the centre of a circular room. "Well?" one of the figures rasped. "Is it done?"  
  
"Y, yes my lord," the figure said cowering.  
  
"Excellent, the plan proceeds as I had foreseen it would."  
  
"My, my lord. You, promised me, a, a reward, if I completed my service."  
  
"Oh of course," the voice was now low and silky with an undertone of steel. "Here is your reward." He clicked his fingers and a huge figure stepped up behind the lone figure in the centre of the room.  
  
"No my lord, p, please!"  
  
The huge figure clasped his hand on the smaller figure and dragged him out of the room kicking and screaming.  
  
"Do we need him any more?" one of the shadowy figures asked.  
  
"No. His services are complete. Soon we will be the greatest syndicate in the whole of the northern hemisphere. Very soon." 


	11. When Saturday Comes

Thank you everyone who was so kind as to review chapter 10, and again sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy chapter 11.  
  
Jubilee was resolute. She was going to ask Bobby out today on a second date, maybe go see another movie. She wasn't sure whether he would say yes or not, but she had to know how he felt about her. And since it was Saturday today, hopefully they could go this evening. As she came into the kitchen she was surprised to see the Brotherhood, minus Pietro, sitting in one corner eating. She went over to the table and grabbed a bowl. "What're they doing here?" she whispered to Amara.  
  
"I don't know," Amara shrugged as she poured herself a drink. "I think they arrived last night."  
  
The two girls sat at the table next to Rogue, who was absently chewing a piece of toast and concentrating on not looking in the direction of the Brotherhood. Jubilee was about to ask her what was wrong when Professor Xavier entered the kitchen. All talk died away and every head turned to face the Professor. "As I'm sure you are all aware, the Brotherhood is staying with us temporarily. I would ask that you show them the same courtesy you show each other. They are guests and they will be treated as such." The Professor turned and left the room and the chatter returned to its usual level, mostly discussing why the Brotherhood had suddenly arrived.  
  
Although usually one of the first up, today Kitty was the last to rise. She had stayed up most of the night watching Pietro, and had finally been carried to bed by Logan when she couldn't keep her eyes open any more. As she woke up, her thoughts went instantly to Pietro. Had he survived the night? She quickly pulled on some clothes and raced off down the corridors, phasing through anything that got in her way.  
  
"I don't like it, Chuck."  
  
Professor Xavier looked at Logan squarely, steepling his fingers. When Xavier didn't say anything, Logan continued.  
  
"I mean, the girl is obviously in love with him. And he's barely alive now and it's entirely possible he won't be alive tonight."  
  
"And what do you suggest we do about it? As you said, she's obviously in love with him. We can't order her to stay away from Pietro."  
  
"That's not what I meant. I just wanted you to know, because it's going to be very hard on the girl if he dies. That's all."  
  
Xavier nodded. "Than you Logan. I'll remember that."  
  
Logan turned and left the med-lab, shaking his head. 'Why do all the girls fall for the bad guy?' he wondered, and then grinned ruefully, remembering something someone said to him a long time ago.  
  
'Girls don't fall for the bad guy Logan.' How he wished that this statement were true.  
  
Mere seconds after Logan had left the med-lab; Kitty arrived outside it and pushed the door open. Inside she was met by Hank who was putting away some surgical instruments. "How is he?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"Alive," Hank said slowly. "He's still fluctuating, though not quite as badly as last night."  
  
"But he will make it, right?"  
  
"He should do."  
  
Kitty felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her soul. "Come on Pietro," she whispered. "You've just got to pull through."  
  
Kurt sat in his room, Bobby, Ray and Sam facing him. "Are you sure this will work?" Kurt asked for the hundredth time.  
  
"Yeah, trust me." Bobby grinned confidently.  
  
"Yeah, only way to win Kitty." Ray agreed.  
  
"Okay," Kurt was still slightly doubtful.  
  
"Look Kurt, all you have to do is follow the plan, and you and Kitty will be the newest couple in Xavier's School for the Gifted." Bobby and Ray exchanged high fives.  
  
Kurt nodded slowly. "Okay."  
  
"You memorised what to say?" Ray asked him.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well what are you waiting for? Go get her."  
  
"Right," Kurt got up and walked to the door. "Yeah, go get her."  
  
"Good luck Kurt," Sam said as he left.  
  
"So, Bobby. Another date with Nicky tonight?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"What happened?" "She dumped me after I used the word oxymoron in a sentence." Lance was slumped on a bench in the grounds. He was no stranger to the Institute, having been an X-Man himself once. As a group of younger X-Men walked past him he saw them turn away, sneering. But his thoughts were focused on two things. Rogue, and that jerk Remy. If only Remy hadn't tried to make Rogue feel like she was his possession, she would have been a lot more sympathetic to his advances, he was sure. Still, there had to be a way. He needed some inside information on her. Even when she had been in the Brotherhood he had learned very little about her.  
  
Kurt found Kitty down in the med-lab, sitting at a work surface doing some homework. "Uh, hi Kitty."  
  
Kitty looked up. "Kurt, hey! How are you?"  
  
"I'm uh, fine thanks." Kurt took a seat near her. "Listen Kitty, I, uh, that is, would you like to go and see a movie with me tonight?"  
  
Kitty looked slightly taken aback, then grinned. "Sure, what time."  
  
Kurt was momentarily lost for words, so amazed was he that Kitty hadn't rejected him. "Seven," he managed to gasp, before teleporting away. Kitty grinned slightly then turned back to her work. Kurt always had been such a nice friend.  
  
Jubilee found Bobby throwing a baseball to Ray. "Hey Bobby, could I have a word?"  
  
"Sure." Bobby threw the baseball back to Ray, and then followed her a few metres off. "What is it Jubilee?"  
  
"Well, I know you've probably got a load of plans with Nicky and everything, but, do you want to go see a movie tonight?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Bobby grinned. He had wanted to go out with Jubilee ever since their first date, but Jubilee had been very distant with him until now. He supposed that she must have seen Nicky ask him out and been hurt. "What time?"  
  
"Seven?"  
  
"See you then."  
  
Stokes County Maximum Security Prison 11:54 am  
  
"Sir!"  
  
Security Chief Aaron turned to see one of his officers come to a halt in front of him.  
  
"We've got a security breach in sector 7-G!"  
  
Aaron's blood ran cold. 7-G was where the most dangerous criminal of all was kept. "How did it happen?"  
  
"Someone blew a wall out!"  
  
"What?"  
  
An alarm siren that began wailing cut out the officer's response. Aaron drew his firearm and set off at a run down the corridor. That alarm could mean only one thing. Unauthorised intruders had entered the prison. Aaron ran around a corner into sector 7-G and gasped. Somehow, someone had managed to blow away the entire wall from the outside. Aaron quickly barked out orders into his radio, attempting to coordinate the security teams. He suddenly felt a small sting on the side of his neck. Thinking it was an insect he slapped at it, and his hand came away covered in some brown, glutinous liquid. Aaron suddenly realised the world was growing very dark and he leaned against the wall for support. It took Aaron twenty- one seconds to die. 


	12. Prison Break

Thank you for the nice reviews ^^. I'm glad you like this story so much. I hope you like this chapter as much as all the rest.  
  
Kurt paused at the door to his room. He was sweating and his hands threatened to shake uncontrollably at any moment. He took several deep breaths, put his hand on the door handle. It took a supreme effort of willpower to open the door and step out into the corridor. Ray was waiting for him outside and when he emerged he patted Kurt on the shoulder. "Come on, Kurt. This is going to be a piece of cake!"  
  
"Right." Kurt nodded, trying to convince himself more than agreeing with his fellow X-Man's statement.  
  
"Trust me Kurt, you'll be fine."  
  
"Yeah." Kurt was starting to calm down now. "Yeah," he repeated, this time with more confidence.  
  
"Okay Kurt, go get her!"  
  
"Yeah." Kurt strode down the hallway praying that the newfound confidence he had acquired would last the whole date. Or at least until he got to Kitty's room.  
  
Stokes County Maximum Security Prison 12:10 am  
  
The black-clad men who had blown the wall and overrun Aaron's men snapped to attention as a figure in flowing robes stepped through the destroyed wall area. The figure moved to a set of controls in the wall and activated a mechanism in the centre of the room. A circular tube filled with greenish liquid and a huge figure rose from the floor in the centre of the room. The robed figure motioned to two of the waiting men and they hurried across the room to a locker, which they opened and took a set of body armour out of it. The body armour was huge, far too big for any normal man. But then, the man in the tube wasn't normal. He was huge, and every inch of that body was pure muscle. His hair was cut close to his scalp and his massive hands and feet were chained to the floor of the tube. The robed figure hit a button and the fluid in the tube drained away. Another button opened the tube. The figure inside began to move as the paralysing effects of the fluid wore off. The robed figure got two of his men to undo the huge chains connecting the man's hands and feet to the tube. The huge man suddenly opened his eyes and stepped off the platform.  
  
"Welcome back to the land of the living, Cain," the robed figure's voice was a sibilant hiss. "Or should I say, Juggernaught."  
  
Bobby pulled on his jacket and headed out to the front of the Institute. That was where he was supposed to meet Jubilee for their date. He only had to wait outside for a handful of minutes before Jubilee arrived to meet him. "Wow, Jubilee. You look great." Jubilee grinned and blushed slightly at Bobby's compliment. Despite her outward calmness she was also nervous. If she screwed up on this date, then Bobby would dump her and there'd be no chance of any further dates.  
  
"Thanks," she grinned again.  
  
"You ready to go?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
As they walked down the path to the gate they began chatting and Jubilee felt her nervousness and anxiety fade away. This was just like any other date, true it was with an incredibly attractive guy, but she and Bobby had been good friends for some time, so it was incredibly easy to talk to him.  
  
Kurt stood at the door to Kitty's room. This was it. He'd wanted this for so long, ever since he'd met Kitty, really. He raised his hand to the door and knocked. After a second's pause, Kitty opened the door. "Oh, hi Kurt. Let me just grab my jacket."  
  
Kurt nodded mechanically, not really hearing what Kitty said. He was remembering what Ray, Bobby, Sam and the rest had been telling him. As Kitty closed her door behind her and joined him in the corridor, he snapped back into reality. "Are you, uh, ready to go?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Kurt nodded and then led the way downstairs at a fast pace that Kitty was almost jogging to keep up with. When they got outside, Kitty grabbed Kurt's arm. "Slow down, Kurt. What's the matter?"  
  
"Nothing, nothing," Kurt muttered, straightening the sleeves of his jacket and checking that his image inducer was securely in place. He took two deep breaths and then they proceeded down the drive at a much more leisurely pace this time. Kitty tried to start a conversation with Kurt several times, but he was too nervous to do anything more than mutter a single word answer to all her questions so Kitty quickly gave up.  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Kitty asked as they passed the gates. "Do you want to go back and have the Professor check you out?"  
  
"No, no." Kurt shook his head and put his left hand into his trouser pocket. "I'm fine, really. We better get going if we don't want to be late."  
  
This time when Kitty asked Kurt a question he answered it like his old self would have done and soon they were deeply immersed in a conversation. Kurt just wished his left hand would stop shaking so uncontrollably.  
  
Stokes County Maximum Security Prison 12:30 am  
  
Juggernaught was clad in his huge red body armour again, and he smiled as he flexed his muscles. It felt so good to be out of that damned stasis tube. Now he could finally get his revenge on Charles Xavier.  
  
The robed figure made his way over to Juggernaught. "Well, well Cain. You have certainly changed since the last time we met." The man's voice was a feeble rasp, and Cain knew that the man must be very old.  
  
"What do you mean, last time we met? I've never seen you before in my life."  
  
"Oh no?" The man drew back his hood and Cain gasped, his mind flashing back many years.  
  
It had been during a war, Cain couldn't remember which one. He and his brother Charles had joined up together and their squad was deep in the jungle, surrounded on all sides by an unseen enemy. Cain remembered how his blood ran cold at the sound of every birdcall, believing it was the enemy's signal to attack. But they made it to a small village that day, without attack, he remembered. That had been where Cain had met the man before him. The man had been very old then, almost ninety Cain had guessed, and Cain was amazed he was still alive now. The old man had been a sort of tribal shaman, wise man type and the soldiers had all regarded him with contempt and disdain. All except Cain, that is. Cain had gone to see him, and the man had put on a little show for the tourist, casting bones and stuff like that, and Cain had been about to go when the man suddenly began speaking in a voice that wasn't his own. The voice had told Cain of a ruby, and where he would find it. Eager to make as much money for himself as he could and a coward at heart, Cain had deserted at the first opportunity and made his way to the location of the ruby.  
  
"Yes Cain. You remember me now."  
  
"I, remember," Cain, said slowly. "I remember," he repeated, with more force this time. "I remember!" he roared as he swung a massive fist upwards and crushed the robed figure in front of him. Seeing their leader die the soldiers opened fire on Juggernaught, but after seeing their bullets harmlessly ping off his armour and Juggernaught rip several of their comrades in two, they turned tail and fled. As silence fell on the ruined chamber, Juggernaught stepped out through the demolished wall. He remembered exactly what had happened all those years ago, when he had found the Gem of Cyttorak.  
  
Xavier turned to Hank. "I should be back in a day, or so."  
  
Hank nodded. "I'll monitor Pietro's status and let you know if there's any major change."  
  
Xavier nodded. It was unfortunate that he had to leave now, but Cerebro had detected another possible mutant in Nevada, and he and Jean were leaving to check it out. He was loath to leave Pietro during such a critical stage in the boy's struggle for life, but Hank was the best doctor in the Institute, and if Hank couldn't save Pietro then no one could.  
  
Unbeknownst to anyone at the Institute a shadowy figure stood in the med- lab, looking down at Pietro's prone form. He touched the glass, which was all that separated him from Pietro. He should have been there, it was his duty and he had been neglecting his duties for a very long time. Maybe now it was time to start doing them again.  
  
"Hello father."  
  
The man whirled around at the sound of the voice to see Wanda standing in the doorway.  
  
"Wanda, what are you."  
  
"We all came here when we found Pietro." She moved towards her father. At such close range Magneto could see tears shining in her eyes. "Why weren't you there? He's your son," she gestured at Pietro. "He needed you."  
  
"I," Magneto sighed. "I don't know. I should have been there, but."  
  
"Don't start with any of your excuses!" Wanda said angrily. "You're never here when he needs you! When I need you!"  
  
"Wanda I know."  
  
"Then why don't you stop acting like some megalomaniac old man, and start acting like our father!" Wanda stormed out before Magneto could say anything. Magneto stared at Pietro for a few more seconds, before following Wanda out.  
  
And that's a wrap for chapter 12. Thank you again to everyone who reviewed me: Silvershadowcat, Storm-Pietro, raniatlw and:  
  
Don't Think Me Weird: Sorry, but I don't go to LBHS.  
  
Bushi Enjery Katsumi: Yes, this is my first fic. I'm glad you like it so much. And I'd love to read any of your stories that I come across. 


	13. Date Night

Kurt was feeling far better now. He and Kitty had paid for their tickets at the cinema and had just got their seats. His nerves had calmed down now, and his hand had even stopped shaking enough now to take it out of his pocket. As the film began he found his eyes constantly drawn to Kitty, rather than the screen. She was so beautiful; he just couldn't stop looking at her. Even when she wasn't trying, she was just, irresistible.  
  
Bobby sat back in his seat at the cinema. He loved being out with Jubilee; she was definitely the greatest girl he had ever gone out with. She was funny, witty and beautiful and he knew that she felt the same way about him and he did about her. He glanced at her, seeing her profile silhouetted by the dim lights in the cinema, and smiled. She was astonishingly beautiful.  
  
Jubilee grinned to herself as she noticed Bobby glance at her. She was so glad that she had asked him out again; he was the greatest guy she had ever gone out with. Incredibly sexy, smart, funny, charming, she couldn't find the right words to convey her feelings for him. She sighed contentedly as she leaned her head on his shoulder. This was the best night she had had for a long time.  
  
Kitty laughed at another joke in the movie. It felt so great to be out again, away from the Institute, although that did mean she was away from Pietro. Still, she felt less worried about him now; it was as though leaving the Institute had lifted an invisible weight off her shoulders. Ever since she had found him attempting to commit suicide she had been feeling really down, but going out with Kurt had made her feel a lot more like her old, perky self. She leant against Kurt's arm, feeling his warm fur against her cold skin and smiled to herself. Kurt was such a great guy.  
  
Kurt felt Kitty lean her head against his arm and swallowed nervously. The evening was going far better than he had expected given his nerves in the hours leading up to the date. Gingerly, he put his arm around Kitty's shoulders, and when she didn't complain, left it there. He stared at Kitty again, marvelling at her beauty, before turning back to the film.  
  
Hank studied a clipboard and shook his head. Pietro's condition was wavering, and he wished Xavier or Jean were here. To save him, Hank was going to have to perform some pretty tricky surgery, and it was always good to have a telepath on hand to keep the patient calm. Well, he would give it his best shot. But first he needed a drink and something to eat. Working for seven hours straight really took it out of a guy.  
  
Rogue slipped into the warm swimming pool. She loved going swimming at night, when everyone else was indoors. It gave her some time to swim properly, without distractions, and of course meant that she couldn't touch anyone accidentally. After floating for a couple of minutes, staring up at the stars, she began to swim lengths. But tonight her mind wasn't on her exercise. She was thinking about Lance and Remy, and how childishly they were behaving. She couldn't believe that Lance was serious about loving her, and Remy; he was just treating her like an object. Add that to the fact that the first time they met he tried to blow her up, she wasn't particularly impressed with either of them.  
  
Bobby slipped his arm around Jubilee's shoulders, drawing her closer. She looked into his eyes, and he grinned, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Both of them had completely forgotten about the movie, about everything except each other. They leaned in towards each other; both of them knew what was coming.  
  
"Bobby!"  
  
Both of them spun around at the high-pitched voice behind them. It was Bobby's ex-girlfriend, Nicky, and a hulking football player that Jubilee took to be Nicky's new boyfriend. "I had no idea you were coming here tonight!" Nicky brushed past Jubilee, sitting herself in the space between Bobby and Jubilee. As she continued talking Bobby looked helplessly at Jubilee, who was angrily watching the movie again. Trust something to come up just when she and Bobby had been about to. it made her so mad thinking about it.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"What?" Jubilee turned to see Nicky's boyfriend sitting next to her. He gestured to Nicky who was animatedly babbling to Bobby. Jubilee felt a certain sympathy for the guy, he was dating a beautiful girl who, judging by tonight, spent about one minute talking to him on their dates and the rest of the time flirting with any available guy in sight. Only this time, Bobby wasn't an available guy.  
  
Rogue had done one hundred lengths now, and she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She stopped at the deep end and scanned the bushes, looking for something that was amiss. If it was that jerk Lance or Remy spying on her. Suddenly she heard a twig snap. "Who's there?" she called warily. There was silence for a few seconds and then a figure stepped forward. Rogue was momentarily stunned. Standing under the trees, dappled by the moonlight that shone through them, was the hottest guy that Rogue had ever seen. She vaguely recalled him from somewhere, but she couldn't remember where exactly. Suddenly an explosion split the tranquil night. Rogue turned to look as Lance was hurled to the ground, then knocked down a laughing Remy with a tremor. When she turned back the figure was gone.  
  
'Great," she thought. Then she turned on Lance and Remy, who were circling each other warily. "What are you two idiots doing?"  
  
"He's tryin' to spy on you chère," Remy said without taking his eyes off Lance.  
  
"Oh yeah! And what were you doing?" Lance responded, all his attention on Remy.  
  
Rogue sighed and pulled herself out of the pool. Lance and Remy moved over to her, still looking at each other warily. "Allow me to get you a towel, chère," Remy stepped forward.  
  
"No, I'll do it." Lance shoved him out of the way.  
  
"Listen! I'm perfectly able to get my own towel," Rogue picked it up and wrapped it around herself.  
  
"Then let me to get you your clothes," Lance volunteered, moving towards Rogue's clothes. As he did, Remy stuck out his staff and Lance tripped, falling headfirst into the pool. He came up spluttering and furious, as Remy laughed his head off from the side. As Rogue picked her clothes up, she gave Remy a shove and sent him tumbling into the pool. That made her feel slightly better, though it didn't make up for them scaring away that mystery guy. As Rogue went indoors, Lance was attempting to hold Remy's head under water. The two continued fighting for almost ten more minutes, until they realised Rogue had left, at which point they got out of the pool and went to find a change of clothes.  
  
As Lance trudged into the room he shared with Fred and Todd, Todd turned to look at him. "Hey what happened to you? Looks like you fell in the swimming pool."  
  
"Shut up!" Lance said angrily as he grabbed some dry clothes.  
  
Beast returned to the med-lab, and was just about to gather the instruments he needed for the operation, when he realised that there was someone else in the lab. He pushed open the door to the operating theatre as quietly as possible and saw a white-haired figure standing by Pietro's bed.  
  
"Magneto."  
  
Erik turned, startled by Hank's voice. "Beast."  
  
The two regarded each other warily, until Hank spoke again. "His condition's fluctuating," he gestured at Pietro. "He should make it, but there's no guarantee."  
  
Erik turned back to Pietro. "Do you know what happened?"  
  
"Attempted suicide. Slashed his wrists." Beast was about to say something else, when a thought struck him. "Magneto, I think I might know a way you can help him."  
  
"So you want me to."  
  
"Monitor his thoughts, make sure he's calm enough to let me operate or if anything serious is happening."  
  
Erik placed his hands on his son's temples. His psychic abilities were very basic, far less than Xavier's or Jean's, but they were much better than nothing. Beast slipped on a pair of rubber gloves, and picked up a surgical instrument. "All right. Let's do it."  
  
Kurt and Kitty left the cinema as soon as the film ended. It was only ten o'clock, so Kurt suggested that they get something to eat. They stopped at a fast-food restaurant, and were soon on their way back to the Institute. "Kurt, I had a great time tonight." Kitty said as they walked home.  
  
"Me too," Kurt grinned nervously.  
  
"We should do this again sometime, next week maybe?"  
  
"Oh, uh, sure." Kurt could feel his heart pounding faster and faster. Kitty had just asked him on a second date. They walked in silence for a couple of minutes before Kitty spoke again.  
  
"So, what did you think of the movie."  
  
Kurt racked his brain. He hadn't watched much of the film; he'd been too busy concentrating on Kitty. "It was pretty, uh, good."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. It was pretty corny though. Especially at the end."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Definitely. Real corny ending."  
  
They walked up to the front door of the Institute, where they paused. "Listen Kurt, I really enjoyed tonight." Kitty moved closer to Kurt. "I. I've had a lot on my mind and it's been really good to go out and forget about it." They were face-to-face now. "But, well, I don't know how to say this Kurt but, I think I have feelings for you."  
  
Kurt was ecstatic. "Me too," he whispered.  
  
"Kurt, I don't know what to do!"  
  
"What's wrong Kitty?"  
  
"I can't explain it, not right now."  
  
Kitty didn't resist as Kurt pulled her into the kiss. It was so beautiful that she temporarily forgot all about Pietro, but then she suddenly snapped back to reality. She pushed herself away from Kurt, who looked hurt. "I'm sorry Kurt. It's not you, it's just." she struggled for words. "I'm sorry." She turned and ran inside, leaving Kurt standing in the doorway.  
  
And there we go, chapter 13. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you everyone who reviewed chapter 12: raniatlw, Storm-Pietro and  
  
Silvershadowcat: Your wish is my demand! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 


	14. Aftermath

"That was a great movie wasn't it?" Nicky gave Bobby no time to reply before she started talking again. "Well, the end was so predictable, but you know, the rest was good. Well, I'll see you tomorrow," Jubilee noted with a glower that she was hanging on to Bobby's arm as she spoke to Bobby. She brushed Bobby's face with her hand and for a moment it looked like she was going to kiss him. Jubilee was ready to force her off him when she suddenly detached herself from Bobby and led her boyfriend away. Jubilee looked at Bobby, almost accusingly, who merely shrugged.  
  
"I can't believe you actually went out with her."  
  
"Yeah, well, she asked me. And as you hadn't asked me." he trailed off slightly embarrassed.  
  
"It's okay." Jubilee grinned, grabbed his arm. "Now, what were we doing before Nicky interrupted us?"  
  
Bobby grinned. He loved going out with Jubilee.  
  
Kurt still stood on the doorstep, stunned by what had just happened. From somewhere he had found the nerve to kiss Kitty and she had kissed him back, but then run off without an explanation, just saying sorry. "Shot down, Kurt?"  
  
Kurt jumped at the voice, almost teleporting away. "Who's there?"  
  
Logan moved stood up from where he'd been tending to his bike in the shadows of the steps up to the front door. He would have seen everything. "Don't worry elf, it happens to the best of us."  
  
Kurt felt the colour rising in his cheeks. "It's not what it looked like."  
  
"It sure looked like what it looked like." Logan grinned as he moved up the steps to Kurt. "Listen, kid."  
  
"I'm not a kid, Logan! I don't need you telling me how to conduct my love life!"  
  
"I'm sorry Kurt, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Logan took a step back.  
  
Kurt turned his back on Logan and was about to storm inside, when Logan's voice stopped him.  
  
"Listen Kurt. Don't pin all your hopes on Kitty."  
  
"What?" Kurt turned to look at Logan to check if he was being serious.  
  
"She likes you Kurt, but only as a friend. She's got her heart set on someone else."  
  
Kurt shook his head. He couldn't believe Logan. "You're lying," he said simply.  
  
"No." Logan was cut off as Kurt teleported away. He shook his head sadly. He could see this was going to end badly.  
  
Rogue was startled when Kitty burst into their room. She was drying her hair when she heard the door slam open and Kitty threw herself onto her bed. Rogue put the hairdryer down and sat down next to Kitty. "Uh, are you alright, Kitty?" Rogue felt quite uncomfortable trying to comfort Kitty. That definitely wasn't her forte.  
  
"No." Kitty's voice was wracked with sobs.  
  
"What, what's wrong?"  
  
"Oh Rogue!" Kitty threw her head onto Rogue's shoulder and Rogue stared at her in horror before gingerly patting her back. "Why is my life so messed up?" Kitty sobbed.  
  
Rogue didn't have an answer to that. "Listen, Kitty, how about you tell me what's happened first, then I might be able to help you."  
  
Tearfully, Kitty outlined what had happened on her date with Kurt. "And then we kissed."  
  
"Okay, so what's the problem?"  
  
"I've got feelings for someone else."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Kitty was silent for a moment. "Will you promise not to tell anyone?"  
  
Rogue was taken aback slightly by Kitty's intensity. "Sure." Kitty mumbled something that Rogue strained to hear but couldn't quite. "Who?"  
  
"It's Pietro. There, I said it! I have feelings for Pietro!"  
  
"Oh." Rogue was shocked to say the least. She certainly hadn't expected Kitty to have any feeling for Pietro, except possibly intense dislike.  
  
"I know!" Kitty wailed.  
  
"So is it." Rogue trailed off, not wanting to say the dreaded word. Kitty turned her tear-streaked face to Rogue and nodded. Rogue almost laughed. Kitty always seemed to fall for the weirdest guys.  
  
"So what do I do?"  
  
Rogue wished she wasn't being asked this. She didn't have any experience in these kind of situations. "You just got to do what your heart tells you." She felt so stupid saying that, it sounded like a line from a very corny romance film. Kitty nodded. "Thanks Rogue." She dried her eyes on her shirt, grinning slightly. "I know I must sound really stupid to you."  
  
"A little silly maybe," Rogue grinned.  
  
Hank and Erik sat at opposite ends of the waiting room of the medi-lab. The atmosphere in the room was very tense, despite the fact that they had both spent the last couple of hours performing complex surgery. Erik was just getting used to the silence when Hank spoke up. "Why do you do it?"  
  
"What?" Erik was surprised by Hank's question.  
  
"Why do you wage war on humanity? Can't you see that you're doing more harm than good?"  
  
Erik turned to look at Hank, his lip curling in a derogatory sneer. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You're one of Xavier's lackeys."  
  
"Try me," Hank said as civilly as he could.  
  
"Very well. The reason that I wage war against humanity is something you will soon find out. No matter how many times you save them, how many times you refuse to use your powers, or bend over backwards to accommodate their ever-increasing demands they will never accept you. You will always be branded a freak, a mutant. When you realise that, then you will know why I fight."  
  
"Believe me, I know what that is like better than you think."  
  
Erik chose not to respond; he merely curled his lip in another sneer.  
  
Bobby and Jubilee arrived back at the Institute considerably later than planned, and this earned them a lecture from the Professor. But neither of them particularly cared, so completely obsessed with one another were they. As they made their way upstairs they passed Kurt and if they had being paying attention they would have seen a very strange expression on his face. It was a mixture of anger, unhappiness and embarrassment. He had spent all evening thinking about what had happened between Kitty and himself and more importantly, Logan's reaction to it. He didn't like what Logan had said about Kitty 'having her heart set on someone else'. He had refused to believe it, but it hung around in the back of his mind, making him constantly remember it.  
  
He was jerked out of his reverie as Scott yelled his name out. "Hey, Kurt."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Scott walked over to him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"It's just you look a bit, down, that's all."  
  
"No, no I'm fine." Kurt had decided not to tell people about what had happened between him and Kitty. The less people that knew about it, the better.  
  
"Okay, just wanted to make sure."  
  
"Thanks," Kurt said and then left. He really didn't need Scott being a big brother right now. Right now he needed to take out some frustration.  
  
Storm was surprised when she went down to the Danger Room to train to see Kurt already there in uniform practicing his martial arts on a training dummy. She shrugged and didn't dwell on it as she started up her training program.  
  
Kitty was on her way to the medi-lab when she was met by Hank. "Kitty, good, I've been looking for you everywhere!"  
  
"What is it?" she asked, imagining for a brief second that Pietro had died.  
  
"It's Pietro."  
  
"What about him?" Kitty interrupted Hank impatiently.  
  
"I was about to tell you," Hank said reproachfully. "He's making a great recovery, and he should be up by tomorrow morning."  
  
And there's chapter 14!! Hope you enjoyed it. 


	15. Pietro's Recovery

Kitty was practically jumping for joy as she made her way back to her room. In a few hours Pietro would be up and she would be able to see him. And tell him how she felt about him. As she walked through the hall she accidentally phased through Scott. "Sorry," she said embarrassedly.  
  
"It's alright," Scott shivered slightly. It wasn't a nice feeling, being phased through. As Kitty headed off down the hall Scott frowned slightly as he watched Kitty walk through Bobby. Kitty was normally careful about phasing through other people. Something must have happened to make her so forgetful. Scott shrugged as he turned and headed towards his room. It wasn't any of his business anyway.  
  
As Storm finished her training program, Kurt was still in the Danger Room. This time he was practicing combat with a hologram, though Ororo couldn't see whom the hologram was. She thought about calling out to him, decided against it. There was nothing wrong with Kurt doing some extra training. 'If only the other students were as committed as Kurt', she thought as she left.  
  
Kurt ducked a right hook from his sparring partner and then lashed out with a powerful kick that knocked the training 'bot to the floor. This was one of Xavier's latest inventions, a training robot that had an inbuilt holographic projector that allowed it to assume the image of anyone that was in its databanks. At present Kurt was fighting against one of Magneto's minions, Pyro.  
  
Pyro got to his feet and then launched himself at Kurt. Kurt sidestepped the robot and lunged with a standing sidekick at the 'bot. This time, however, Pyro caught his foot and threw him off balance, then threw a powerful left hook that left Kurt on the floor seeing stars. Pyro raised his foot to stomp down on Kurt's face, but Kurt rolled away and kicked Pyro's legs out from under him. "Deactivate robot," he yelled and the robot instantly switched off, the hologram disappearing. Kurt wiped his sweat-laden forehead with a towel and took a gulp from his water bottle. Even whilst he was fighting Kitty still dominated his thoughts. In anger he hurled the bottle at the wall, where it fell to the floor, its contents spilling over the Danger Room floor. "Robot activate!" he yelled taking a fighting stance opposite the robot. He would keep sparring until he forgot about Kitty or collapsed from exhaustion.  
  
Rogue glanced both ways down the hall before leaving her room. She had no wish to be intercepted by Lance or Remy. She was sick of their constant fighting to get her attention. Satisfied that neither one was around she hurried down the hall and peered around the corner. "Uh, Rogue?"  
  
Rogue let out a startled yell and turned around. Jamie Madrox, the youngest of the students at Xavier's Institute, stood looking at her with a puzzled expression on his face. "What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
"You haven't seen Lance have you?" Jamie shook his head and Rogue sighed with relief. "Listen, Jamie, go look around down that corridor will you and tell me if Lance is there?"  
  
"Sure," Jamie set off down the corridor that Rogue had indicated; returning after barely a minute had passed. "Nope," he shook his head. "Thanks." Rogue hurried down that corridor leaving Jamie, still puzzled, standing in the hallway.  
  
Kitty glanced at her watch. It was almost elven p.m. Kitty was usually asleep by about half eleven, but she felt wide-awake right now. She was almost counting the seconds until Pietro was up. She sighed happily as she remembered all the trouble Pietro had gone to, to win her heart. She remembered when he had first told her that he loved her, and she had laughed in his face. She remembered the countless gifts and cards, and most especially the banner that Pietro had made for her. Before she realised it, she had drifted off to sleep.  
  
By the time morning arrived, the only one still awake was Hank and Erik. Kurt had barely managed to teleport into bed after several hours of sparring, and had fallen asleep without even undressing. Rogue had gone to sleep easily without being bothered by either Lance or Remy. Hank and Erik had stayed awake all night, monitoring Pietro's condition. At eight thirty- five, Pietro showed the first signs of consciousness, and Hank went to fetch Kitty.  
  
The first thing that Pietro saw upon opening his eyes was Kitty's face. She looked so beautiful that Pietro was sure he was in heaven. "Am I in heaven?" he whispered.  
  
A voice from outside his field of vision answered him. "No Pietro. You are in the Xavier Institute." Kitty's face was replaced by Hank's. "And you are very much alive. Although it was touch and go for a while."  
  
Pietro nodded slightly as he took it all in. The last thing he remembered was being at the Brotherhood boarding house. He remembered writing a note, although he couldn't remember what it was about, and nothing after that. "What happened?" he asked.  
  
Kitty looked at Hank, who nodded encouragingly. "You tried to commit suicide Pietro." Suddenly it all came flooding back. He remembered the note. He remembered the knife he had used, and the blood; there had been so much blood. He was supposed to be dead, yet by some cruel trick of fate he wasn't.  
  
"You need to rest up Pietro," Hank said. "But you should be fine from now on. I'll keep an eye on your readouts, but I doubt anything serious will come up. Give me a call if you need me." He looked at Erik and motioned to him that they should leave. Erik nodded, and both adults left Kitty alone with Pietro.  
  
Kitty helped Pietro prop himself up and then took a seat by his bed. "So how are you feeling?"  
  
"Alright, I guess. I've been better," Pietro managed a weak smile. "I assume you got my note?" Kitty nodded. "Is that how you found me?"  
  
"Yes Pietro. I was coming over to the boarding house to speak to you and we found you in your room." She brushed a stray strand of hair from Pietro's forehead as she spoke.  
  
"Why did you save me Kitty? I don't want to go on living without your love."  
  
"Pietro, when I read your suicide note I realised something. I realised that I love you too."  
  
When Pietro heard Kitty declare her love for him, he was so shocked he was speechless. Kitty smiled at his amazed expression and leaned in close to kiss him. The kiss lasted for a long time, neither one of them wanting it to end but eventually they broke apart.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me," Pietro grinned.  
  
Kitty grinned too. "I see you haven't lost any of your arrogance." She kissed him again although this time they broke apart quickly.  
  
Hank knocked on the door before entering. "You should be able to leave after a couple of hours," he said to Pietro. "Kitty, I think we need to give Pietro some time to recover." Kitty nodded. Erik wanted to speak to his son in private, and Kitty respected his wish.  
  
"I'll see you soon," she promised Pietro, giving him another kiss before following Hank out.  
  
"Sis?"  
  
Rogue was surprised to hear Kurt address her that way. Rogue didn't like acknowledging that Mystique was their mother and Kurt usually respected this. "Yeah?"  
  
Kurt sat down next to her on the bench in the Institute's garden. He looked tired and drawn, which might have been normal during the week, but not on Sunday morning. "Has, Kitty talked to you about, about anyone she is in love with?"  
  
Rogue was taken aback by the question. She had known that Kurt and Kitty had gone out last night, but she didn't know how far things had gone. Did Kurt know about Pietro or was he merely inquiring because he wanted to know if he could make his move. "Well," she paused. Kitty had not asked her not to tell anyone about her feelings for Pietro, but she didn't know if she should. "Yes."  
  
"Who is it?" Kurt asked grabbing at Rogue's sleeve. Rogue was worried by the desperation and intensity she detected in Kurt's voice.  
  
"Uh, listen Kurt," she moved back from him, pulling her sleeve out of his grip. "I can't really tell you."  
  
Kurt nodded, calming down slightly. He was about to teleport away when he noticed two figures walking through the garden. Pietro, leaning on Kitty's shoulder. His eyes narrowed as he watched them walk. So this was the person that Kitty had chosen over him! Well, he would see about that.  
  
Sorry about the delay. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you to every one who reviewed the last chapter - Sango, Silvershadowcat, Storm- Pietro and Raniatlw. 


	16. Planning

Silvershadowcat, this chapter's for you. Thanks for your concern, and thankfully I am now fully recovered. Without further ado, chapter 16.  
  
Unbeknownst to them, another person watched Kitty and Pietro walking through the garden. Logan hoped that Kurt wouldn't take it too hard when he found out about it, but he feared the worst especially since it was Pietro, a member of the hated Brotherhood. Still, Kurt was mature and he should be able to handle his disappointment. Or at least, that's what Logan hoped.  
  
Kurt teleported inside almost as soon as he saw Pietro and Kitty. He was seething with a mixture of rage, hurt and jealousy. How could Kitty have chosen that idiot Pietro over him? How? It just didn't make any sense. It also brought the fears, usually content to lurk at the back of his mind, to the forefront of his mind. Since he was physically different from everyone else, no one wanted anything to do with him. He had thought that was behind him when he joined the X-Men but apparently it was still going on. Pietro looked normal, so Kitty had chosen Pietro over him. Why couldn't that silver-haired freak have died when he tried to kill himself? Still, there was time yet. He could make Kitty change her mind.  
  
Rogue would have followed Kurt into the Institute, she was worried about his strange behaviour, but she was waylaid by Remy. "Chère! I brought you a gift."  
  
"How do you keep getting in?" Remy opened his mouth to answer, but Rogue cut him off. "Never mind, I haven't got time for you right now."  
  
"Rogue!" Lance appeared from the house.  
  
"Not now you two!" she yelled, but it was too late. Remy had grabbed hold of one of her arms and Lance had the other and they were both trying to pull her in their respective directions. Gritting her teeth she roughly pulled away from them. "Will you two stop it!" she thundered, but Remy and Lance were now grappling with each other. Rogue shook her head in despair. She grabbed Lance's head and grabbed Remy's head and forcefully slammed them together. The two guys staggered, dazed, and Rogue stormed off.  
  
"You know, if you two weren't so stupid you might actually be in with a shot." Both guys looked up to see Tabitha leaning against a statue.  
  
"Hey, I'm a master with the ladies. I don't need you to tell me what to be doing." Remy turned to stalk away but was stopped by Tabitha's snigger.  
  
"Yeah, sure Romeo."  
  
"You want to back those words up?" Remy asked, drawing a playing card from his coat and charging it. Tabitha grinned as she created a handful of pyrokinetic charges but Lance stopped them just before they came to blows.  
  
"Hey, hey, wait a second. Let's just hear Tabitha out. It might even be helpful." Remy nodded stiffly and de-charged the card, putting it back in his pocket. Tabitha grinned and the charges vanished.  
  
"You've got to be more subtle. Fighting each other and grabbing her are just going to make her feel even less for you. You've got to be charming, suave, sophisticated," Tabitha's smirk widened. "Everything you're not."  
  
Lance thought he would have to forcibly restrain Remy from attacking Tabitha, but the Cajun merely turned and stalked away. "Thanks," Lance and he too turned to go, then looked back at her. "Why did you just help us?"  
  
"I'm interested to see what'll happen, that's all," Tabitha's grin assured Remy that there was more to it, but he didn't press it.  
  
"Thanks anyway," he said as he left.  
  
"I've got my money on the French one." Tabitha turned to look at the person who had just spoken. Her friend Amara was standing behind her. Tabitha shook her head.  
  
"Nah, he thinks he knows it all already. If it's anyone, it'll be Alvers. Though I wouldn't be surprised if it's neither."  
  
As Lance headed back to the Institute Remy suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a secluded spot in the middle of a grove of trees. "What are you doing Remy?" Lance said as he tore his shirt out of the Cajun's hand.  
  
"Shhh! Listen, that girl was right. If we want to win chère's heart, we gotta stop fighting."  
  
"Okay," Lance said suspiciously, not relaxing his guard.  
  
"We've gotta be the perfect gentlemen and let chère decide for herself who she likes best."  
  
Lance nodded. Remy's logic made sense. "Okay, so have we got a truce or something?"  
  
"For now," Remy nodded. "But when this is over, regardless of who wins, then we'll see about settling the score."  
  
Lance grinned. "I'm looking forward to it."  
  
"But for now remember. The perfect gentlemen."  
  
"Hey, I can do it if you can do it!"  
  
"Good," Remy walked past Lance, then paused. "May the best man win." He left smirking.  
  
"Don't worry. I intend to," Lance said to himself and then headed back to the Institute.  
  
Kitty opened the door to her room and flopped down onto her bed indescribably happy. Rogue, who was sitting on her bed, looked at her as she came in. "What are you so happy about?"  
  
"Pietro," Kitty breathed. Rogue rolled her eyes.  
  
"So you two are going out now?"  
  
"Yep." Kitty missed Rogue shaking her head.  
  
"Actually I wanted to ask you something," Rogue said after a pause.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Have you seen Kurt around?"  
  
"I haven't seen him since last night, when. you know." Rogue nodded and stood up.  
  
"I'll leave you in peace to fantasize."  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I've got a chemistry assignment due in tomorrow. I thought Hank could give me a hand." Rogue lied as she left the room. The truth was she wanted to find Kurt before something bad happened. For all she knew, it might already be too late.  
  
Seconds after Rogue had left her corridor Kurt appeared in it. He crept down the corridor to Kitty and Rogue's room, knocked on the door. "Come in," Kitty called. Kurt opened the door and stepped inside. Kitty looked surprised to see him. "Hi, Kurt. Rogue's looking for you, she just left." She sounded slightly uncomfortable and when Kurt didn't say anything, but merely stood there looking at him, she felt almost embarrassed. "Listen Kurt, about last night, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Can you forgive me?"  
  
Kurt looked at the floor for several seconds before replying. "Kitty, I understand."  
  
Inwardly Kitty sighed with relief. She liked Kurt as a friend and didn't want to lose him as one.  
  
"I understand exactly what you mean."  
  
"I'm so glad."  
  
"I understand," Kurt interrupted her, "that you're just like the rest of them. What I don't understand is why? Why did you do it Kitty? I thought you were my friend."  
  
Kitty looked perplexed. "What are you talking about Kurt? What did I do?"  
  
"You are exactly like the rest of them Kitty. You wanted me to believe that you were my friend. You even wanted me to believe I had a chance at going out with you. But in the end you revealed your true nature." Kurt's eyes were full of sadness, mixed with anger that made Kitty slightly afraid of him. "All through my life people have hated me because of my appearance. Because I have blue fur and a tail. I thought you of all people were different. Seems like I was wrong." With that Kurt turned and strode out.  
  
"Wait!" Kitty ran after him and grabbed his shoulder. "Of course I didn't turn you down because of your real appearance. I would never do something like that, never. I like your real appearance - the blue fur, the tail it's who you are and you wouldn't be the same person without it."  
  
"Kitty, you broke my heart yesterday."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Then leave Pietro."  
  
"I can't Kurt, we have something amazing together."  
  
Kurt grabbed Kitty's shoulders. "Listen Kitty, I love you and I promise you that you and I will end up together."  
  
"Let go of me Kurt!" Kitty tried to break away from Kurt's grip, but it was incredibly strong.  
  
"Just remember that Kitty. You and I are destined to be together." Kurt suddenly teleported away leaving Kitty shaken, teetering on fear. Kurt sounded like a madman, and Kitty wished she knew how far he would go to achieve his goal.  
  
Thank you so much everyone who reviewed chapter 15 and I am so sorry for my incredibly long absence. I know I keep saying it but the next update will be much quicker than this one was. Thanks again and keep up the reviews. 


	17. Interrogation

Silvershadowcat, Raniatlw I hope you enjoy chapter 17.  
  
Rogue entered the kitchen exactly as Lance did. Wishing she could duck back into the corridor, Rogue looked around expecting Lance to leap on her or something equally as stupid. When after a minute or so he had done nothing of the sort Rogue looked over at him in surprise. He was standing by one of the cabinets making himself a drink. When he noticed her looking at him he held up his glass. "Do you want anything?" he asked.  
  
Rogue was almost speechless. Where only an hour earlier Lance had been fighting over her he was now acting perfectly normally. "Uh, sure," was all she could manage.  
  
Lance poured her a glass and sat down at the table, motioning Rogue to join him. After a second's indecision she joined him. She was startled at Lance's sudden change of demeanour and also slightly suspicious. Something was going on here, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. She was jerked out of her contemplation by Lance's voice. "Uh, listen, Rogue. I'm sorry about earlier. Remy and I really shouldn't have been fighting all the time."  
  
He sounded so genuine Rogue almost believed him. Almost. "So?"  
  
"So, from now on we're not going to fight each other any more."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We've come to a mutual understanding. We're going to stop fighting for you and let you decide who you like based on our real personalities."  
  
Rogue raised one eyebrow. She doubted that this gentlemanly behaviour Lance was displaying was either his or Remy's real personality, but then again it would be good to not have to constantly watch out for them because they were trying to fight over her. Rogue finished her drink and then remembered why she'd come here in the first place. "Have you seen Kurt around?"  
  
Lance shook his head. "Sorry, no."  
  
Rogue stood and pushed her chair under the table. "If you see him let me know?" she asked Lance, who nodded. She wondered where her brother could be when a sudden thought struck her. He could be in the Danger Room.  
  
Kurt moved silently along the corridor, virtually unseen as he hugged the shadows. That was one advantage of his mutation at least. He stopped when he reached the door and put his ear to the keyhole. Silence. He teleported into the room, reappearing in a cloud of sulphur smelling smoke. Pietro looked up when he heard the customary bamf that accompanied Kurt's teleport. "Hey Wagner," he said, surprised that the X-Man had come into his room, especially uninvited. "What do you want?"  
  
"I wanted to ask you a question Pietro." Kurt moved closer and Pietro thought he could see Kurt's yellow pupils were tinged slightly with purple. I must be imagining things he thought as Kurt moved his head and his eyes looked perfectly normal.  
  
"Yeah?" Pietro said distractedly. "What?"  
  
"I'll be blunt. Would you give up Kitty?"  
  
Pietro was shocked. He had no idea that Kurt, or anyone else for that matter, was going to come and start interrogating him. Was this some test to see how strong his love for Kitty was? Well, he'd prove himself beyond doubt. It was just like the X-Men not to trust him. Xavier could ramble on about trust and fellowship but Pietro knew the two teams would never trust each other fully.  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Really? Not even if you were offered say, one hundred thousand dollars?" Kurt had begun to move around Pietro now, making him feel even uneasier.  
  
Pietro barely had to think about the question. Sure it would be great to get a hundred thousand dollars, but not if it meant losing Kitty. "No," he said instantly.  
  
"Not even if it meant you were sentenced to life imprisonment?"  
  
This one threw Pietro slightly more, but his resolve remained undamaged. "No."  
  
"Even if it meant your death?" Had Pietro been paying attention, he would have realised that Kurt's voice had lost its characteristic German accent and was now low and silky. But Kurt's question had cut Pietro deeper than Pietro himself had expected. It had brought a flood of memories back about his attempted suicide. Memories he would rather not relive.  
  
He wavered for a moment, but remained steadfast. "No."  
  
"Even if it meant, her death?" Kurt's tone was barely a whisper, but Pietro caught every word he was saying.  
  
This question gave him cause to think. Could he give up Kitty's love if her life depended on it? Certainly it would be the right thing to do, and the X-Men would be unimpressed if he said no. Yet, part of him said he would never let Kitty go and she wouldn't let him go. But if her life was in danger. after a pause he answered. "Yes."  
  
Kurt stopped his pacing, looked him in the eyes and, without warning, teleported away. Pietro stood frozen to the spot for several minutes after Kurt had left, turning the conversation with the teleporter over in his head. What had it all been about? Simple protectiveness, or was it something more? He shook his head, resolved to put the conversation to the back of his mind and turned around. He suddenly realised why Kurt's pupils had appeared purple during the interrogation. A purple lava lamp rested on a shelf behind Pietro and it was switched on. The light from the lava lamp must have been reflected in Kurt's eyes. He breathed a small sigh of relief. Wagner looked creepy enough without purple eyes.  
  
Kurt reappeared in a cloud of sulphur smelling smoke, unsure exactly where he was. In his haste to leave Pietro's room he hadn't been sure where he was teleporting. Although this was very dangerous (it was very easy to end up in a wall rather than in a room) this time it had worked, luckily. He looked around and swiftly came to the conclusion that he must be in the attic of the Institute, although he had never been up here before. It meant that he wouldn't get disturb though, so Kurt had felt no great reluctance in staying. He moved to the window and stared down at the grounds, contemplating the information he had just got.  
  
He had found Pietro's one weakness. Threaten Kitty's life, and Pietro would give her up. He found however that he was stopped from planning attempts on Kitty's life by a small voice in the back of his mind. This voice was telling him that Kitty and Pietro had made a choice and he should be happy for them and get on with his life. As much as he wanted to go along with that voice, a much stronger voice was urging him to make Kitty his, whatever the cost. But the more he thought about attempting to hurt Kitty, the less he found he could even think of going through with it. Still, there were other ways to break them up and he had a long time to think about this particular problem.  
  
With his recent injuries Pietro wasn't able to move as fast as he was used to, but he still managed to get to Kitty's room in 14 seconds. He knocked and when Kitty opened the door he kissed her lightly on the mouth. Kitty seemed somehow distracted and Pietro's brows knitted together when she glanced up and down the corridor before closing the door. "Something wrong?"  
  
"Kurt was in here earlier, he was acting really weird."  
  
"Really?" Pietro had thought Kurt's interrogation was part of a big X-Men conspiracy, but it seemed the fuzzy elf was acting alone. Could he be jealous of Pietro? That wouldn't have surprised the silver-haired mutant. Since I am cursed to be too damn charismatic and devilishly handsome no wonder people will be inclined to jealousy he thought.  
  
"Yeah," Kitty noticed the look on Pietro's face. "Why?"  
  
"Oh it's nothing," Pietro didn't want to trouble Kitty further. Not until he'd had time to figure out what was going on at least.  
  
Thank you so much Silvershadowcat and Raniatlw for being my only two reviewers! I hope this chapter is up to scratch. Thanks again for the reviews they are exceptionally appreciated ^^ 


	18. Testing the water so to speak

Monday morning came far sooner than everyone would have liked. People were rushing everywhere as they desperately tried to grab all their school things, eat breakfast and get washed. Scott had a group of people that he took to school in his car and he was checking them off as they ran out of the Institute into his car. "Kitty, Rogue, Bobby, Jubilee." As the two younger X-Men got into the car together Scott was painfully reminded of Jean's absence. She usually sat up front with him but she was still away with Professor Xavier, so he ended up sitting next to Rogue, who was in a particularly surly mood this morning after an argument with Amara.  
  
"Everyone in?" Scott turned to do one last final head count and realised someone was missing. "Anyone seen Kurt?"  
  
There was a general consensus that no one had seen him this morning. Scott shrugged. Kurt often made his way to school on his own, and they were late as it was. He put his foot on the accelerator and set off slightly faster than usual. Principal Kelly was always looking for an excuse to vent some of his frustration on the mutants by punishing them harshly for minor infractions.  
  
Kurt watched Scott set off to school from his perch on the Institute's roof and then teleported down into the grounds. In a series of short teleport 'hops' he made his way past the gates and into Bayville. There he teleported into an alley and activated his image inducer. He didn't assume his normal, Kurt Wagner image; this time he changed himself so that he appeared to be a fully-grown man in his late twenties with dark hair and wearing a business suit. As long as no one touched him, it would be impossible to tell who he really was. He strode along the streets paying careful attention to where he was going. If his plan worked then Kitty should be all his very soon.  
  
Scott pulled up outside Bayville High School with five minutes to go before school started. He and his passengers leapt out and sprinted into the main school building and then split up to go to their respective classes. Scott arrived at the door to his classroom, ran a hand through his hair to tidy it slightly, and opened the door. When he stepped inside his heart plummeted. Sitting behind the desk was Principal Kelly. "Good morning Mr Summers, so glad you could join us." Kelly's tone was icy. The entire class was eagerly leaning forward, waiting eagerly for the Principal to punish Scott. It was time like this, when you were the only mutant amongst a huge group of mutant-haters that Scott wished Jean was here. She'd be able to defuse the situation much better than he could.  
  
Scott suddenly realised that the entire class and Principal Kelly were staring at him. Embarrassed, Scott cleared his throat. "I'm sorry sir." He moved to sit down.  
  
"Is that it?" Kelly sneered.  
  
Scott stopped dead. He counted to ten before turning around, trying to remain calm. Kelly was just looking for a reason to expel him.  
  
"Well?" Kelly prompted. "No reason? What were you and your mutant friends doing this morning?" Several people in the class broke into hushed whispers when Kelly said this. This reminded Scott of rumours he'd heard of a new anti-mutant society that had sprung up recently, called the Friends of Humanity, and although Scott hadn't seen any evidence of them himself he didn't doubt they existed. Public opinion on mutants was very negative at Bayville High School.  
  
"Nothing, sir."  
  
"I see," Kelly sounded annoyed that he hadn't provoked a response from Scott. "Sit down Summers." Scott quickly did so. "I will see you and your mutant friends after school." Scott groaned inwardly. He really didn't need this.  
  
At lunch Kitty opened her locker to find it full of cards and flowers. "Pietro's so sweet!" she said to herself as she opened the first card. But it wasn't from Pietro. It was from some guy called Paul. Kitty frowned. She didn't know anyone called Paul.  
  
Right then Pietro came zipping up to her. "Hey darling." he stopped when he saw the gifts. "What are those?"  
  
"I don't know!" Pietro pulled out a card and began reading it. After about a second he looked up.  
  
"It says here that you and some guy named Paul went out last Friday."  
  
"That's a lie. I don't even know anyone called Paul!"  
  
"Well, Paul apparently knows you. And loves you." Pietro had a slightly sceptical look on his face.  
  
"I didn't go out with anyone last Friday, especially not someone called Paul," Kitty felt slightly guilty as she said this, because on Friday she had actually been out with Kurt. But not some guy called Paul.  
  
Pietro nodded slowly then grinned. "I believe you," he said. "But this is pretty weird," he gestured to the gifts and cards.  
  
"Just someone's idea of a practical joke, I guess." Kitty didn't really believe this, but she couldn't see any other explanation for it. Pietro grinned again and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"I'll see you at the end of school?"  
  
"I'll be waiting for you by the science block," as Pietro zipped away Kitty began taking everything out of her locker and dumping it in the nearest bin.  
  
Kurt watched as Pietro ran off, moving so fast that it was only possible to make out the faintest blur. He lowered his binoculars and sighed. He hadn't expected phase one to work, the two were too much in love to be split up by such a trivial thing like that. Still, it didn't hurt to test the water before diving in, so to speak. Kurt activated his image inducer and stood up. Had anyone walking along 5th street chosen to look up at that point they would have seen a man in his late twenties standing atop a block of offices, vanish in a cloud of smoke. As it was Kurt went unnoticed as he teleported into a back alley, where he straightened his tie and prepared for the real test.  
  
Scott grabbed his bag and made his way towards Principal Kelly's office. He had had a really bad day and the last thing he wanted right now was Kelly's goading. Outside Kelly's office he found Rogue and Jubilee and he could tell from the voices inside that Bobby was in Kelly's office right now. Scott slumped down in a chair next to Rogue and a few minutes later Kitty arrived, looking like she had run all the way here, which she had most likely done. "I'm not late am I?" she gasped. She had been about to go and meet Pietro when she had remembered that Principal Kelly wanted to see her and she had been forced to run to his office to avoid getting into more trouble by missing the appointment.  
  
"No. Bobby's in right now," Rogue muttered. She was having a particularly bad day, which was only compounded by the fact that she hadn't seen Kurt for almost two days. Although she didn't like to show it, she was worried about her brother.  
  
The door to Kelly's office opened and Bobby and Kelly came out. Kelly looked at the other four mutants sitting outside his office. "Mr Summers, I'll see you now." Scott got up quickly and went into Kelly's office. As soon as the door closed the others looked at each other and winced. It was going to be a long night.  
  
"I can't believe how harsh Kelly was!" The five mutants were on their way home now, outraged at the unfairness of Kelly's punishments.  
  
"I know!" Bobby raged. "Six weeks detention after school for two hours! For being late!"  
  
"It's ridiculous," Kitty said. "Kelly is just looking for ways to make our life a living hell."  
  
"And we've got to make sure that we don't give him any." Scott pulled out his car keys. "Everyone want a ride home?" There was general nodding all round, except for Kitty, who declined and split off from them to go to the science block.  
  
As she rounded the corner she was horrified to see Pietro in the arms of a woman and as she watched she was shocked to see them kiss.  
  
Chapter 18 is done! Thank you Raniatlw and Silvershadowcat for your reviews, they were great. And thank you Icestorm 162, I'm glad you like my story and I'm glad you've been reading it, even if you haven't left any reviews until now. I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 18 and Chapter 19 will be up very soon. 


	19. Trouble in paradise

Kitty was stunned when she saw Pietro kiss the woman in his arms that she couldn't breathe for several seconds. Suddenly she drew in a shuddering breath and turned on her heel, stormed away. She couldn't bear to watch anymore. She ran out to the front of the school just in time to see Scott about to leave. "Wait!" She ran over to Scott's car, which had stopped by the gate. She jumped in the back, next to Jubilee and Scott steeped on the accelerator.  
  
"I thought you didn't want a ride home," Scott said as they cruised along the road.  
  
"Yeah, well, I changed my mind," Kitty said shortly. She didn't feel like talking about what she had just seen. Luckily for her, everyone else was so annoyed about Kelly's punishments that the car was completely silent during the drive home. When they arrived at the Institute they all quickly dispersed to their individual rooms. Luckily for Kitty Rogue didn't go to their room, she went for a snack in the kitchen.  
  
When Kitty reached her room she flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. Surprisingly she didn't feel that upset with Pietro. Sure there was sadness at the fact that he hadn't been able to tell her that there was someone else. But mainly she was angry. Not necessarily with Pietro, but with fate that had made her fall madly in love with someone like Pietro, who would just cast her aside for someone else without a thought.  
  
As she was thinking she had reached over for one of the cards that Pietro had given her and shredded into a dozen pieces. She looked up at the picture of Pietro that she kept on the table next to her bed, and picked it up with shaking hands. She looked at it and then walked over and unlatched the window. She stared at it one last time, before hurling it as hard as she could from the window. She watched it until it disappeared into the darkness and she heard it smash on the ground.  
  
That night was relatively uneventful at the Institute, with the only major event being Ray almost being knocked out by something that fell from the upper floor. Everyone fell asleep quickly; Logan had run an especially hard danger room session this evening. Everyone that is, except Kitty. She tossed and turned for half an hour or so before she finally gave up trying to sleep and phased down to the kitchen. She was pouring herself a drink when a noise made her turn around.  
  
Pietro stood in the doorway. Kitty quickly set her glass down and made to walk away. "Kitty, what's wrong?"  
  
"What's wrong!" Kitty raged. "What's wrong? I saw you with that other woman at school, that's what's wrong!"  
  
"Listen Kitty, I can explain."  
  
"Really? Well it better be a real good explanation."  
  
"Just hear me out Kitty, okay?"  
  
Kitty sat grudgingly sat down at the table, Pietro sat opposite her. "Here's what happened."  
  
Pietro had been waiting behind the science block for about half an hour after school when the sound of someone approaching made him stop throwing stones and then catching them before they hit the ground and go and investigate. He was so stunned by the person that he saw approaching that he froze in his tracks.  
  
"Pietro!" The figure stepped out of the shadow of the wall and flung herself around Pietro's neck. Pietro was so shocked that it took him several seconds to realise what was happening.  
  
"Hey, hey, get off me!" Pietro managed to shake himself loose from the girl who seemed oblivious to the fact that Pietro wasn't quite as ecstatically happy to see her, as she was to see him.  
  
"Oh, Pietro I've missed you so much!" The girl threw herself into Pietro's arms again. "Where have you been?"  
  
"Listen, uh, Rebecca. We broke up a long time ago, remember?"  
  
Rebecca frowned slightly and Pietro took this opportunity to attempt to pry a hand off him. "Yeah, but now we're back together again!" Rebecca announced finally and suddenly kissed Pietro full on the lips. Pietro struggled against her embrace, but was only able to get free when she released him. "Don't you see Pietro, we're destined to be together."  
  
"No we're not!" Pietro backed away from her. She was starting to freak him out, what with the single-minded belief that they were still in love. "I don't love you, I don't even like you, in fact I hate you."  
  
Rebecca frowned. "Don't say that Pietro, because I know it's not true." She advanced towards Pietro causing him to back right into the brick wall. As she lunged at him Pietro dashed away and ran as fast as he could away from the science block and his weird ex-girlfriend.  
  
"So that's what happened?" Kitty asked sceptically.  
  
"Honestly."  
  
"You were overpowered by your ex-girlfriend?"  
  
"Yes, she was really strong," Pietro rubbed his arm in pain.  
  
Kitty shook her head in disbelief. "I knew you were a womaniser, but couldn't you have told me that you didn't want to go out with me, rather than cheated on me."  
  
"I do want to go out with you. Why would I have come back here if I didn't love you?"  
  
"You came back at midnight! For all I know you could have been with her for the past couple of hours."  
  
"I wasn't! Don't you trust me?"  
  
"I want to, really I do, but after what I saw who do you expect me to be able to trust you?"  
  
"Fine." Pietro rose to his feet. "Tomorrow I'll ask Jean to read my mind, and you'll see that I've got nothing to hide." He walked stiffly to her side and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night."  
  
Kitty stayed in the kitchen after Pietro had left, praying that she hadn't managed to isolate the person who could turn out to be her one true love.  
  
"Where's my darling Pietro?" Rebecca's voice sounded weary and now she was merely shuffling along the pavement rather than running, as she had been earlier. She dragged herself forwards and flopped down on a bench outside a large estate. She glanced at the sign by the door, Xavier's Institute for Gifted Children. She'd never heard of it.  
  
Kurt was amazed to see Rebecca desperately looking for Pietro. That could only mean one thing; Pietro and Kitty were still together. His tail lashed the air in anger and he chewed his bottom lip as he contemplated his next move. Anger at their obstinate refusal to break up clouded his mind and he gave up trying to find new ways to break them up. If he couldn't have Kitty then neither could anyone.  
  
Kurt teleported to the wall that bordered the Xavier Institute and glared at the building. Kitty and Pietro were in there somewhere, together. A sudden noise in the bushes below him made Kurt look down and a slow smile split his daemonic features. Here was his implement of destruction. A new plan had already formed in his mind.  
  
Juggernaught gazed at the Institute where his half-brother taught a bunch of kids. His fists knotted into fists as he thought about the revenge that he would exact on the pathetic X-Men for beating him before. He was about to smash his way through the wall when a voice made him stop. "Juggernaught, wait!"  
  
Juggernaught turned and looked upwards at a figure sitting in the trees above him. "Who are you?"  
  
"A friend," the person replied. Juggernaught could only make out an outline against the stars, but he could see that the person had some kind of tail that waved around behind him.  
  
"What do you want?" "I want to help you. You want to destroy your half-brother, Charles Xavier, correct?" At the sound of his brother's hated name Juggernaught picked up a nearby boulder and crushed it into dust between his hands.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then I can give you the means to do that."  
  
"Really? And why should I listen to a kid like you?"  
  
"Trust me Juggernaught, you will want to listen."  
  
Kitty rose early the next morning and was ready for school very quickly. She was lounging in the kitchen, when Pietro came in. "Uh, hi," she said quietly.  
  
"Listen Kitty, come outside with me would you. There's something I wanted to ask you." Pietro's voice sounded slightly strange this morning, but Kitty put that down to the early time of day and lack of sleep.  
  
"Sure." Kitty followed Pietro out to a secluded spot by the north wall. "What is it Pietro, I can't be late for school again."  
  
"I'll be back in a second, wait there." Pietro strode out of sight.  
  
Pietro met Rogue in the kitchen when he went downstairs, flanked by Lance on one side and Remy on the other. "Morning, uh Rogue, do you know where Kitty is?"  
  
"I think she went outside, but I don't know."  
  
"Thanks." Pietro zipped outside. He needed to speak with Kitty.  
  
Kitty was just wishing Pietro would hurry up, it was almost time to leave for school, when the wall behind her suddenly collapsed, throwing up a huge cloud of dust. She gagged, trying to clear her eyes of all the dust, when she suddenly spotted a silhouette amidst the dust that made her blood run cold. It was Juggernaught.  
  
Thank you everyone who reviewed last chapter:  
  
Raniatlw: I'm glad you liked the last chapter.  
  
hjh-31: thank you for your compliments, I'm sure I don't really deserve them and thank you for your review and your encouragement, I'm glad you're enjoying the story.  
  
GcArchangel4qs: thank you, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you did the last one.  
  
Icestorm162: I'm glad you like Kurt as the bad guy, thank you.  
  
Silvershadowcat: maybe 'phase 3' is a little better? I hope you liked this chapter as much as the others. 


	20. The storm breaks

Kitty was paralysed for a second. 'Juggernaught here! How did he escape from prison, again?' Her limbs suddenly sprang back to life as Juggernaught charged forwards, aiming a massive fist at her. Kitty phased through the punch, turned to run but tripped over a sticking out root. She watched helplessly as Juggernaught stomped over to her and reared his fist back. She closed her eyes and prayed that her death would be a quick one.  
  
Pietro had searched almost all the garden when he heard the wall collapse. He ran as fast as he could towards the sound and barely arrived in time. He sprinted as fast as he could, and just as Juggernaught was about to crush Kitty he picked her up and dashed to safety. She opened her eyes and Pietro gave her a small grin. "Guess this makes up even, ugh!" Pietro had all the breath knocked out of him as a figure tackled Pietro to the floor.  
  
Pietro felt furry hands clamp down on his throat and he stared up into the hate-filled eyes of Kurt. "Kurt, no!" Kitty ran over to them and tried to pry Kurt's hands loose, but Kurt had the strength of a madman. Kurt lashed out at Kitty with his foot and knocked her to one side, then concentrated on throttling Pietro. Pietro could feel his life rapidly slipping away as he tried to pry Kurt's hands loose to no avail. Just as Pietro had resigned himself to death Kurt's grip slackened and he rolled off Pietro. Kitty helped Pietro up and he saw Kurt writhing in pain as he clutched his injured crotch.  
  
"Remind me never to get you mad," Pietro gasped as he drew in deep breaths. Kitty's grin faded quickly as she remembered Juggernaught.  
  
"C'mon, we've got to warn the others."  
  
Rogue had gone outside to find Kitty, flanked by the ever present Remy and Lance. She was about to give up all hope of finding Kitty; the garden was huge, when two figures burst through the foliage. "Juggernaught's here!" Kitty said quickly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Juggernaught, he's here! In the grounds!"  
  
Rogue cursed. She remembered their last run in with Juggernaught; it hadn't been a pleasant experience. "Quick, we've got to warn the others." They set off back to the Institute, but when they got there they saw that one of the windows had been completely shattered.  
  
"Guess we're a little late," Remy said as they dashed inside.  
  
Kurt cursed over and over again as he writhed on the floor. If it hadn't been for Kitty he would have killed Pietro with his bare hands. With a supreme effort he managed to regain his feet. His plan wasn't working exactly as he had hoped, Pietro and Kitty had managed to escape Juggernaught, but there was still time. With Xavier absent, there was nothing anyone could do to stop Juggernaught. It was just a matter of time until he found Kitty and Pietro and dealt with them.  
  
Wolverine and Juggernaught faced off. Logan knew that he couldn't defeat his opponent through brute force, but he had to try and stop him. Logan feinted to the left, dodged Juggernaught's punch and slammed his claws into Juggernaught's chest armour. The claws sank in, but Logan knew they had done no damage whatsoever. Before Logan could move Juggernaught picked him up and hurled him through a nearby window. Logan rolled to a stop on the grass outside and picked himself up, pieces of glass falling from his hair and clothing. He pulled a chunk of glass from his left cheek and with a roar hurled himself back into combat with Juggernaught.  
  
Rogue, Lance, Remy, Pietro and Kitty soon ran into Juggernaught, the amount of noise he was making was impossible to miss. They watched in horror as Juggernaught hurled Logan through the window. "We've got to do something quick."  
  
"If we remove his helmet can you, like absorb his powers?" Kitty suggested.  
  
"I can try."  
  
"Let's get to work then." Lance sent a tremor down the hallway, causing Juggernaught to barely stumble, but it did get his attention. "Hey, mon ami!" Remy held a vase in his hands, which he charged and threw at Juggernaught. The subsequent explosion did little except annoy Juggernaught.  
  
"Let us try," Kitty and Pietro ran at Juggernaught from both sides, Pietro moving too fast for Juggernaught to stop and Kitty phasing through his lumbering attacks. Pietro managed to undo one clasp and Kitty another one before Juggernaught managed to shake them loose. He was stopped from squashing Pietro by Wolverine who broke a table across his back, knocking him forward. Instantly another clasp was undone by Remy who was then hurled across the room for his trouble.  
  
"Where's everyone else?" Logan asked Rogue quickly.  
  
"I guess they've left. Scott told me to find Kitty, but I forgot about that when Juggernaught showed up."  
  
"Great, guess it's just us six against him." Wolverine grinned humourlessly and then charged back into the fray, ducking one of Juggernaught's punches only to be kicked in the face by a blow that surely would have killed him if he hadn't been able to regenerate.  
  
Kurt watched with glee as Juggernaught easily held his own against his six opponents. As Pietro finally managed to remove Juggernaught's helmet, Kurt's smile widened when Juggernaught caught Pietro with a backhand blow that sent him slamming into the opposite wall. Suddenly a figure caught his eye. Rogue had dashed forward and attempted to touch Juggernaught but he had seen her and aimed a punch at her, which she almost managed to dodge but it just caught her on the shoulder, dropping her to the floor. Somewhere Kurt felt a deep pang of horror that he had unleashed such a monster on his own sister, but he soon covered it up. It was her fault if she wanted to fight him. As Juggernaught knocked Remy and Lance aside easily as he advanced on Rogue, Kurt's feeling grew stronger and stronger. What had he been thinking? He was an X-Man, yet he had unleashed one of their worst enemies on his friends because he was jealous. He watched Juggernaught reach out for Rogue, and suddenly sprang to his feet, shaking his head. What he'd done was irredeemable, but he couldn't just leave his friends to die.  
  
Rogue was in incredible pain. Juggernaught's blow had shattered her shoulder and she could barely move because of the pain. She barely saw Juggernaught's hand reaching out for her, or the blue figure that appeared in front of her. By the time Kurt grabbed her hand and teleported her away she was unconscious.  
  
Juggernaught roared in frustration as Kurt teleported Rogue away from him. He knew he shouldn't have trusted that little blue furball. Still, he would die, just like the others. Juggernaught felt something hit him from behind and whirled to face Wolverine again. He batted the small man aside, into Pietro who was sent sprawling on the floor. Grinning Juggernaught lunged at Pietro. Finally he would get one of these annoying kids.  
  
Kurt saw Pietro hit the floor and he launched himself forward. He saw Juggernaught's fist, as if in slow motion smash into his chest and he felt a pain the like of which he had never felt before. As he hit the floor he begged for death, for any escape from the pain he felt, but his body grimly managed to hang on to life.  
  
Kitty watched, amazed, as Kurt took the blow intended for Pietro and heard the sickening crunch as Juggernaught's fist impacted with Kurt's chest. Her mind began to despair, as all around her destruction reined. There was nothing they could do against Juggernaught. Just like Kurt, they were all going to die here.  
  
"Cain, you should not have come back." The voice from the door split echoed like a clarion call. As one, everyone turned to look at Professor Xavier and Jean, who stood (and sat) in the doorway. Juggernaught roared in fury, knowing that without his helmet he was vulnerable to Xavier and charged at his half-brother, but it was too late. Xavier had already put his hands to his temples and Juggernaught was abruptly stopped in his tracks. He fought the psychic attack for almost a minute, before collapsing to the ground with an almighty crash.  
  
Silence reigned in the room for several seconds, until a grim-faced Logan broke it. "Good timing Chuck. Just a pity you didn't arrive earlier." He was kneeling by Kurt's prone body, his hand feeling for a pulse on Kurt's neck. There was none.  
  
A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed chapter 19 - Lyra and raniatlw, and a huge apology to them for taking so long with this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and chapter 21 will be up very soon. 


	21. Old Friends and New

Thank you everyone who reviewed chapter 20, hjh-31, raniatlw and Jordsan. I know I said that chapter 21 would be up soon and I'm so sorry that it wasn't, I've had a ton of work that I had to do. I hope that you've enjoyed reading 'Fatal Attraction' as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Thank you everyone who's reviewed it, you've made it all worthwhile.  
  
Xavier and Jean rushed straight over to where Kurt was lying. Remy and Lance rushed over to check on Rogue whilst Kitty, after a moments hesitation, went over to Kurt. Pietro followed his girlfriend, albeit slightly reluctantly. Xavier placed his hands to his temple and furrowed his brow in concentration. "He's not dead," he announced after several seconds.  
  
"Are you sure Professor?" Jean asked. "I couldn't sense anything."  
  
"There is something there. Just buried very deep, and it seems almost," Xavier struggled to find a word to define what he had detected, "tainted by something. Something familiar, yet I can't quite place it."  
  
"If he's alive shouldn't we get him some help?" Kitty suggested.  
  
"Of course. Logan will you carry Kurt to Hank?"  
  
"Sure thing." Logan hefted the unconscious Kurt in his arms and headed down to Hank's lab. Xavier turned to the other three. "Pietro, will you and Kitty come with me. I need to have a word with you."  
  
"What about Rogue?" Lance blurted out from where he was kneeling next to Rogue.  
  
"Bring Rogue along to Hank's lab as well please."  
  
Xavier led Pietro, Kitty, Lance, Remy and Jean to Hank's lab. Remy and Lance took Rogue into the operating theatre whilst Xavier turned to speak to the others. "I'm going to go and check on Kurt and Rogue's condition. Then I'd like to have a word with you about what's been happening while I've been away." The professor turned and went into the theatre, leaving the others together.  
  
"What exactly has happened?" Jean asked.  
  
"I'm not quite sure," Kitty leant against Pietro's shoulder feeling, despite the early hour, that she was utterly exhausted.  
  
Hank, Logan and Xavier crowded around Kurt's prone form on an operating table. "So what's wrong with him Hank?" Logan's grim tone matched the expression on his face.  
  
Hank adjusted his glasses and examined a clipboard held in one furry paw. "Well from my preliminary scans I can tell that he's taken very bad torso damage; shattered ribs, some damage to internal organs and possibly some lung damage. Pulse is very faint but still there. He's lucky to be alive."  
  
Xavier nodded. "And Rogue?"  
  
"I was just about to give her a check over now. I'll give you a call when I get the results."  
  
"Very well. Logan, come with me please. I need to get Kitty and Pietro's story. They know something more than everyone else."  
  
"I'd like to know what's going on myself." Logan opened the door for Xavier and they went back into the waiting room.  
  
"Pietro, Kitty I'd like to have a word with you in my office." Kitty and Pietro stood up and Xavier led them to his office. Once inside Xavier took sat behind the desk with Logan standing behind him to his left. "Please be seated." Slightly apprehensively Kitty and Pietro sat down. "Now, I can sense that you two know something more than the other two in there. Would you mind explaining what it is?"  
  
Haltingly at first, but with ever increasing confidence, Kitty and Pietro related what they knew about Kurt's strange behaviour. "So you see Professor, we think that Kurt had something to do with Juggernaught's attack," Kitty finished.  
  
"Yeah, especially since he attacked me," Pietro added quickly.  
  
"I see." Xavier steepled his fingers. "Well, it does sound like Kurt was in some way involved in the attack. And yet, I don't think that it was Kurt acting alone."  
  
"What do you mean Professor?"  
  
"I sensed the a psychic residue when I read Kurt's mind to check that he was alive. I think he was being controlled by another powerful psychic."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I'm not sure yet." Logan wasn't certain that this was the truth, but he didn't press the point.  
  
Kitty was about to ask another question but the intercom on Xavier's desk began beeping. "Xavier."  
  
"It's Hank. I've got the results of the test on Rogue."  
  
"I'll be there shortly. Kitty, you and Pietro should go and get some rest."  
  
Xavier and Logan went directly to Hank's lab, where Remy and Lance were still waiting. "What can you tell us Hank?"  
  
"Rogue is a lot better than Kurt; she's broken her collarbone and left arm, but apart from that she seems to be alright. Nothing I can't put right."  
  
"Good. Logan will you tell Remy and Lance that Rogue is going to be all right and that they should get some rest. I'll be in my office."  
  
Xavier leaned back in his wheelchair. He knew that he recognised the psychic entity he had detected around Kurt, but he just couldn't place it. As he racked his brains he detected Logan walking to his office. Logan opened the door, came in and sat opposite Xavier. "Are you any closer to figuring out who was controlling Kurt's mind?"  
  
"I know we've met before but I just can't remember who it was. I need to speak to Kurt when he's conscious. What's the news from Hank?"  
  
Logan shook his head. "Not good. It's going to be a real battle to save him."  
  
Xavier stared out of the window into the grounds at the point where Juggernaught had burst through the wall. He was sure that Kurt was going to be all right he had to be. Kurt was Xavier's responsibility and he hadn't been there to help him through this difficult time. If Kurt died, Xavier wasn't sure what he would do.  
  
Hank stayed up for almost three days straight fighting to keep Kurt alive. At five a.m., three days after Kurt had been brought in he slumped down in a seat exhausted. Kurt was alive and he was a lot better than he had been when he came in, but he was still barely alive. He was about to heave himself up again when the door open and Xavier came in.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
"A lot better. It'll be some time before he's conscious, but he's going to be alright."  
  
"Hank, you need to get some rest. You've done an amazing job keeping Kurt alive, but you need to get some rest now."  
  
"I know, I know. I just need to do a bit more work."  
  
Xavier nodded. "Listen Hank, you can't work non-stop, you've got to rest sometime."  
  
"I will, I'm just going to run a couple of scans on Kurt, then I'll get some sleep."  
  
Xavier was on his way out when he paused. "When Kurt's conscious I need to speak to him."  
  
"I'll give you a call as soon as that's possible."  
  
It was another week before Hank deemed Kurt able to talk to Xavier. Rogue was recovering well now, she had her arm in a sling and Remy and Lance constantly followed her everywhere to help her if she couldn't manage something with her broken arm.  
  
Kurt was sitting up, propped up by his pillow, when Xavier entered. He managed a weak smile as the Professor wheeled over to his bedside. "How are you feeling Kurt?"  
  
"Terrible."  
  
"Better than yesterday then." This brought a small laugh from Kurt. "Listen, Kurt," Xavier's tone was suddenly serious. "I want to talk to you about what happened before your injuries."  
  
Kurt nodded. "I knew you would."  
  
"Do you think you can tell me what happened?"  
  
"I'd like to Professor but, but I can't remember. The last thing I remember is going out with Kitty and everything after that is just a confused haze." Kurt had an anxious look on his face that carried over into his voice.  
  
Xavier nodded. He hadn't expected this, but it didn't surprise him. "Kurt let me tell you what I think happened. I think that, somehow, a powerful psychic took control of your mind. If you don't mind, I'd like to read your mind."  
  
"Uh, of course Professor. Do you, do you know who?"  
  
"Not yet Kurt." Xavier pressed his hands to Kurt's temples and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. Kurt had been right, after that last memory of going out with Kitty, Kurt's mind was a confusing maze. Xavier concentrated even harder and the purple miasma that appeared to cloud Kurt's memories merely intensified. Xavier was sure someone had intentionally clouded Kurt's thoughts and he appeared to have done a good job of it. Not for nothing, however, was Charles Xavier called the most powerful psychic in the world.  
  
Xavier was now concentrating so hard that his head had begun to throb. The purple miasma swirled and Xavier concentrated all his psychic power against it. Kurt, who was looking on slightly worried at the look of concentration on Xavier's face suddenly cried out in agony. Xavier, however, was oblivious to it. The miasma suddenly began dissipating and Xavier smiled inwardly. The key to the mystery was rapidly approaching.  
  
Pietro and Kitty sat in the grounds, holding hands. They were both looking slightly awkward as they stared fixedly at anything but each other. Pietro was the first to break the uncomfortable silence, but only by a second. "Listen Kitty."  
  
"Pietro I."  
  
Both of them stopped speaking. "You first," Kitty said.  
  
"Okay. Kitty I, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything that happened before, you know, the attack." Pietro said all this very quickly, and Kitty almost missed it.  
  
"Pietro I'm sorry too. I should have trusted you and I'm sorry that I didn't. Can you forgive me?"  
  
"Of course I can and I will. Kitty I love you, and I want you to know that whatever happens I will always be there for you. Can you forgive me?" Pietro was caught off-guard as Kitty clamped her arms around him in a bone- crushing hug.  
  
"Oh Pietro, of course I do! I love you too!"  
  
Pietro returned the hug, though with slightly less force and smiled. He was with the girl he loved and their relationship had withstood several potential disasters. He had a feeling that this might just be the last time he ever dated someone and, amazingly, he found he didn't feel any sadness. Dating was great, but this was so much better.  
  
Xavier watched the images in Kurt's memory as though he were watching a film. He saw Kurt going further and further into the depths of jealous madness and was horrified at what he saw, especially when he saw Kurt talking with Juggernaught. It also proved his theory - Kurt had been under the influence of another psychic. And now Xavier knew who it was.  
  
Kurt was also seeing all the images as if for the first time and he was utterly horrified and disgusted by what he saw. Tears ran freely down his face as he watched the depths of his treachery unfold before him. He couldn't believe what he'd done, even if he had been under the influence of a psychic. He wouldn't be surprised if Xavier expelled him from the Institute and sent him back to Germany, though if Kurt had been Xavier he would probably have killed Kurt.  
  
The images soon faded and Xavier opened his eyes to stare into Kurt's tear- filled yellow ones. Neither of them moved for a long while, then Kurt managed to whisper, "well Professor?"  
  
"I was right. You were under the psychic control of someone while you did all those things."  
  
Kurt wasn't sure whether he wanted to know the answer to his next question, but he had to ask. "Who?"  
  
"Someone we've fought before." Xavier paused, then continued. "Mesmero. Doubtless he sought to use you to destroy the X-Men for his master." Xavier clapped a hand on Kurt's shoulder, changing the subject. "Kurt, I suggest you get some rest. Hank won't be happy with me for disturbing you so much." He turned to leave.  
  
"You're going to let me stay?" Kurt was incredulous.  
  
Xavier looked surprised that Kurt had thought otherwise. "Of course."  
  
"But you can't trust me. If I can be controlled so easily then I'm just a liability to the X-Men."  
  
"Kurt do you know how Mesmero took control of you?" Kurt shook his head. "You were incredibly saddened and to a lesser degree angry and jealous that Kitty had fallen in love. Mesmero took these feelings and warped them completely out of perspective until all you could think of was your anger and jealousy. It could have happened to any one of us. Don't be so hard on yourself."  
  
"But Professor."  
  
"I won't hear another word of it Kurt. You're staying and that's final." Xavier smiled. "Get some rest Kurt."  
  
Thousands of miles away in a mountainside cave in Tibet, Mesmero cursed his bad luck. The plan had been going so well. If only that pathetic boy hadn't been able to free himself from Mesmero's control the X-Men would be destroyed now. Still, he considered as he moved through the cave, perhaps it is for the better. The X-Men could prove very useful in freeing Apocalypse and when his master was awakened the X-Men would be utterly destroyed. Yes, it was all for the best.  
  
Epilogue  
  
Kurt's physical recovery was remarkable and soon he was perfectly physically fit again. The rest of the X-Men incorporated him back into the team as soon as he was possible and Kurt soon returned to his normal, cheerful self. Yet something constantly troubled him. There was always that memory of how he let the team down and his constant fear that he would do it again. There was nothing anyone could do for him, until he met Amanda Sefton. Soon he and Amanda became a couple and, with Amanda's help, Kurt's psychological wounds healed over time.  
  
Rogue's troubles with Remy and Lance went on for a long time as both of them strived to outdo the other. She made her choice eventually and she and Remy have been happy ever since. Lance took the choice well and he has remained good friends with Rogue and, quite surprisingly, Remy.  
  
As for Kitty and myself, we stayed together through all the difficulties life threw at us over the next few years. Nothing could separate us; Apocalypse, my father, insane human extremists, we survived them all. And I proposed to Kitty on her twenty-third birthday in Paris. We were married later that year, and the year after Kurt and Amanda did the same.  
  
And now we're waiting to see what the future will hold for us. Whatever it is I'm sure there'll be a fair share of good-times and bad-times, but I know that I'll be able to weather them all, now that Kitty and I are together.  
  
Pietro.  
  
Fin.  
  
Never knew I could feel like this  
  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
  
Everyday I love you more and more  
  
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings  
  
Telling me to give you everything  
  
Seasons may change winter to spring  
  
But I love you until the end of time  
  
Come what may, come what may  
  
I will love you until my dying day  
  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place  
  
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace  
  
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste  
  
It all revolves around you  
  
And there's no mountain too high no river too wide  
  
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side  
  
Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide  
  
But I love you until the end of time  
  
Come what may, come what may  
  
I will love you until my dying day  
  
Oh come what may, come what may  
  
I will love you  
  
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place...  
  
Come what may, come what may  
  
I will love you until my dying day 


End file.
